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Are you having back pain with any of the following?
- Severe pain, weakness or tingling in your leg(s).
- Difficulty stopping urination or loss of control of bladder or bowels.
- Unexplained fever, nausea or vomiting.
- A history of cancer or unexplained weight loss.
We understand that you are experiencing one or more of the health issues that might be impacting your back pain.
We recommend that you discuss these health issues with your doctor before proceeding with this program.
Once you are cleared by your doctor to do this program, we hope it helps you find relief from your back pain.
Preventing Colorectal Cancer for Women in Midlife
Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States. It is slow growing and one of the most preventable cancers.
Prevention
In addition to regular screening, the following steps may help prevent colorectal cancer:
- Choose foods low in fat and high in soluble fiber. This may help reduce your risk of colorectal cancer by regularly moving waste out of your bowels. To get lots of fiber, eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. You can also get fiber from bran cereals, whole grain, whole wheat breads, cooked beans, peas, and popcorn.
- Quit smoking. If you smoke, we can help you quit. Ask your doctor for resources, or contact our Health Education Center or Department.
- Be active. Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity (like walking or yard work) on most days of the week. Physical activity can also help improve your overall health.
Screening
If you are a healthy adult 50 years of age or older, you should have regular screening tests for colorectal cancer. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, we may recommend that you begin your regular screenings before 50 years of age because you may be at higher risk for this cancer. There are many screening options for you. The three most common and most effective are:
- A stool test (sometimes called an FOBT or FIT test) is recommended annually, and is done with a small sample of your feces that you collect yourself, in your home. You then mail your sample to our laboratory, and we can send your results by mail. We will provide detailed instructions when we give or mail you the test.
- A flexible sigmoidscopy is a procedure done in our offices, where your lower colon is examined with a small camera on a thin, flexible tube. We recommend this test be done every 5 years, either by itself or in combination with the stool test.
- A colonoscopy is recommended to screen for colorectal cancer if you've had a stool test or a flexible sigmoidscopy with abnormal results. A colonoscopy is like a flexible sigmoidscopy, but it examines the entire colon. More preparation and recovery time is needed, so we usually only recommend this test if you're at a higher risk of colon cancer.
We can discuss the different screening tests and decide on the screening routine that suits you best.
Warning signs of colorectal cancer
It often happens that people who are diagnosed with colorectal cancer did not have any symptoms prior to their diagnosis. Some people with colon cancer experience the following symptoms, although these symptoms could also point to other conditions:
- Blood in your stool
- Stools that are longer and narrower than usual
- Unexplained weight loss
Related Health Tools:
Videos
- Screen for Colon Cancer with FIT Screen for Colon Cancer with FIT
- Screen for Colon Cancer with FIT (Spanish) Screen for Colon Cancer with FIT (Spanish)
- Screen for Colon Cancer with FIT (Cantonese) Screen for Colon Cancer with FIT (Cantonese)
If you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. An emergency medical condition is any of the following: (1) a medical condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in serious jeopardy to your health or body functions or organs; (2) active labor when there isn't enough time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery, or if transfer poses a threat to your (or your unborn child's) health and safety, or (3) a mental disorder that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity such that either you are an immediate danger to yourself or others, or you are not immediately able to provide for, or use, food, shelter, or clothing, due to the mental disorder.
This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of specific medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse the medications or products mentioned. Any trade names listed are for easy identification only.