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Colon Cancer: Words You Never Want to Hear
Caught off guard by a thoroughly unexpected diagnosis of colon cancer, this
Toms River resident was expertly treated last year at Ocean Medical Center,
where the success of his surgery was music to his ears.
"I knew something had to be wrong,"
says Jerome Hughes, 69. "I wasn’t
going to the bathroom correctly and
knew that wasn’t right — I just didn’t
know what to do."
Luckily, a friend of Jerome’s suggested
he get a colonoscopy. "I’m a healthy
guy and didn’t think anything could
be seriously wrong," admits Jerome.
"My friend had problems before and
thought the signs were similar, so
I went to see my doctor."
Taking the Next Steps
Jerome visited his gastroenterologist,
Steven Schneiderman, M.D., of Ocean
Medical Center, who scheduled a
colonoscopy. The test resulted in the
unthinkable for Jerome: a malignant
tumor was detected on his colon,
called adenocarcinoma, which is a
type of colon cancer of the cells that
line the inside of the colon and rectum.
"I was shocked," Jerome recalls.
"I never expected that would be
the news I would get."
With a confirmed diagnosis of colon
cancer, Dr. Schneiderman referred
Jerome to Steven Priolo, M.D., FACS, an Ocean Medical Center surgeon
and member of the Digestive and
Colorectal Interdisciplinary Specialty
Program. This newly developed group
affords patients superior collaboration
and efficiency as they move through
the process of screening, treatment,
adjuvant therapy, and support. In
addition to having a clinical nurse
navigator as part of the program’s staff
to help shepherd patients through the
process and serve as a resource, the
program’s interdisciplinary team
members meet regularly in dedicated Digestive and Colorectal Tumor Boards.
The team is as committed to prevention
as it is to detection and treatment,
which translates to a strong focus on
screening, healthy eating for digestive
and colorectal health, and similar
preventive measures.
"After reviewing the results of
Jerome’s colonoscopy, I suggested
surgery to remove the affected
areas," explains Dr. Priolo. He
decided upon a laparoscopic
assisted surgery approach, a
minimally invasive procedure
in which the cancer is removed
by smaller incisions. In December
2005, Dr. Priolo and his team
successfully performed Jerome’s
colon resection in Ocean Medical
Center’s new state-of-the-art
Laparoscopic Operating Suite.
A few days later, Jerome was
discharged and has since enjoyed
a rapid recovery.
Prevention Is Key
According to the American Cancer
Society, colorectal cancer is the third
most common cancer found in men
and women in this country, with
about 106,680 new cases of colon
cancer and 41,930 new cases of
rectal cancer diagnosed in the United
States in 2006. As such, Dr. Priolo
strongly recommends regular
colorectal cancer screenings starting
at the age of 50. "For people with a
family history of colon cancer," he
further advises, "they should start
getting screenings even earlier — up
to 10 years prior to the age of their
family member upon diagnosis."
Dr. Priolo can’t stress the
importance of this point enough:
"Thanks to screenings, polyps can be
found and removed before they turn
into cancer.When these cancers are
found and treated early, they can
often be cured."
Jerome feels fortunate to be among
the patients treated early. "I was very
relieved that everything went well
with my surgery. Dr. Priolo came in to
visit me to make sure everything was
okay, and when he said I could go
home…well, that was wonderful,"
Jerome shares. "It’s been over a year
since my surgery, and everything is
going fine now," he concludes. "I’ve
been able to resume my active life and get back to doing the things I enjoy
thanks to Dr. Priolo and the team at
Ocean. I was so happy with the care
I received."
 – Beth Price
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Age: Risk increases with age, as more than
9 out of 10 people with colorectal cancer
are over 50.
A previous colorectal cancer diagnosis:
Even when colorectal cancer has been
completely removed, new cancers can start
in other areas of the colon and rectum.
A history of polyps: Some types of
polyps increase the risk, especially if
they are large or numerous.
A history of bowel disease: Two diseases in
particular, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s
disease, increase the risk of colon cancer
due to long periods of colon inflammation
and possible ulcers in the lining. In either case, frequent cancer screenings should
start and carry on from a young age.
Family history of colorectal cancer:
People with close relatives who have
had this cancer are at increased risk,
especially if the relative contracted the
disease before age 60.
Certain family syndromes: A syndrome —
a group of symptoms — can run in
some families. If you discover a
condition in your family that increases
the likelihood of colorectal cancer, you
should consider early testing and possibly
genetic counseling.
Ethnic background: Ashkenazi Jews
(of Eastern European descent) experience
a higher rate of colon cancer.
Diet: A diet high in fat, especially fat
from animal sources, can increase risk.
Lack of exercise: People who are
not active are at higher risk.
Obesity: Being very overweight
increases risk.
Smoking: Smokers are 30% to 40%
more likely than non-smokers to get
colorectal cancer.
Source: American Cancer Society
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