Houston doctor warns general malaise could signal colon cancer

HOUSTON — Keith Rollins, Founder push up The foundation survived colon cancer at the age of 49.

“We said push up because you’re supposed to have a colonoscopy at 45. I did not know that!” Rollins said.

His doctor, Omar Madriz, said more patients are being diagnosed at a younger age, and many are unaware that this could have been detected earlier with a colonoscopy.

“When he came to see me for a completely different reason, I informed him that he needed to get tested because he was already overdue by four years and he didn’t know at the time that the new test rules included getting a colonoscopy at 45. Dr. Madriz said.

Typical symptoms of colon cancer may include:

• rectal bleeding

• Changing bowel habits

• Abdominal pain

Dr. Madriz said you need to see a doctor before age 45 if you have symptoms, which could include innocent things like hemorrhoids.

“If for any reason you think you have symptoms of hemorrhoids, don’t think it’s hemorrhoids because it could be something else. So, I would say that it is a very common misconception that any problems “down there” must be hemorrhoids, and this is not always the case, so I strongly recommend that patients who have any problems get an examination,” Madriz said. .

Colonoscopy in Texas is free.

In recent years, the speed of screening has increased. Some credit the availability of screening and home tests. Although home tests may not be covered by insurance, they may be a convenient choice for some people. Talk to your doctor to see if this is right for you.