Colorectal Cancer: "Preventable. Treatable. Beatable” (Part 1)

Colorectal Cancer (cancer of the colon or rectum) is the second leading cause of death from cancers that affect both men and women, even though it is among the most preventable cancers. Early-stage detection, removing precancerous polyps before they become cancerous, can greatly increase survival.

To increase understanding of risks, prevention, screening options, and treatment for both colon cancer and rectal cancer, Mayo Clinic colorectal cancer experts have answered questions through a series of short videos.

Part 1: The basics of colorectal cancer

• What is colorectal cancer?
• What are the symptoms?
• Who gets colon cancer?
• Can colon cancer be inherited?
• What if a close family member has the disease?
• When should I start getting screened?
• What is the best screening test?
• Is there a blood test for colon cancer?
• How do stool tests work?
• What are the scope tests for screening colorectal cancer?
• What if my colon cancer screening test is positive?
• What should I do if I have polyps in my colon?

The videos relate to questions posted by members on Mayo Clinic Connect.