How to stop the Tony Snow scenario

[SEAN]

Dr. Joshua,
As I mentioned in my other post to you, my father had colon cancer diagnosed in June06 and passed away in Sep06. As I am sure you heard Presidential Spokesperson Tony Snow has a reacurrance of cancer stemming from his colon cancer from 2005. He had his entire colon taken out and the doctors replaced it with his small intestine.
His mother died of colon cancer at age 38, which tells me Tony Snow should have had a colonoscopy at least at age 40. He was diagnosed at 49 with colon cancer and bad enough to rip out his entire colon, why wasn't he diagnosed earlier? In your opinion, was it because he didn't get checked out or is there something else we need to keep a watch out for.
I had my colonoscopy in Jan07 and I had one 2mm polyp and my Gastro specialist said it takes 10-15 years for that size polyp to become cancerous if it has cancer in it. I just don't understand how a guy as high profile as Tony Snow can have this happen to him especially with the family history he has.
For those of us at a higher risk, is there anything else we need to look for between the 5 year colonoscopies so we can avoid what happened to Tony Snow?
Thanks in advance
Sean

[Dr. Joshua]

The guidelines for colorectal cancer screening by the American Cancer Society state that if you have a first degree relative with colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps before the age of 60, or two first-degree relatives with colorectal cancer at any age (but not a hereditary syndrome), you should have colonoscopy every 5-10 years starting from age 40 or 10 years before the youngest case in the immediate family.

If you have had a small, single adenoma, screening should be started 3-6 years from the operation and continued as above.

Please discuss your screening plan with your own doctor and follow his/her advice.

For more information:
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3X_Can_colon_and_rectum_cancer_be_found_ea rly.asp

[SEAN]

Thanks, I am on the 5 year for every colonoscopy, this stuff just scares the hell out of me after seeing what my father went through.

[Dr. Joshua]

I understand completely - many things in life are out of our control, and that's the thing that scares us most. You are taking control as much as you can, and beyond that, you just need to focus on the other things. Please let us know from time to time how you're doing

[machu]

Hello. I'm new here. This particular post refers to colorectal cancer, for which I had surgery on January 25, 2007. Part of my colon was replaced with a synthetic material.
Recovery has been a terrible experience, but now I almost back to normal. The only thing that is concerning me now is that I do not get erections. -In admitting a truth, stimulation continued provides a feeling relative sexual climax, but it is not.
My Dr. told me that it takes approximately eight months after the surgery, to be sexually functional. I don't know what to believe.