UMC El Paso is encouraging residents to schedule colon cancer screenings during Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Dr. Cesar Garcia, a gastroenterologist at UMC, explains that most colon cancers start as small polyps that can be removed during a colonoscopy before they become cancerous.
Screening is recommended starting at age 45, but those with symptoms such as rectal bleeding, changes in bowel habits, fatigue, or abdominal pain should seek medical care sooner. People with a family history of colon cancer should begin screening 10 years earlier than the youngest diagnosed relative. More information and scheduling are available at umcelpaso.org/colonoscopy…