kirstie alley’s story another reminder to screen for colon cancer
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kirstie alley, here in a still from "for richer or poorer" with tim allen, was only recently diagnosed with colon cancer.
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two-time emmy winner kirstie alley died on monday at the age of 71. she had been diagnosed with colon cancer shortly before her passing.
alley is known for her roles in cheers (for which she received an emmy), look who’s talking (opposite john travolta), and it takes two (starring mary-kate and ashley olsen). outside of her extensive television and film credits, alley competed twice on dancing with the stars and was the focus of kirstie alley’s big life.
in an instagram statement, alley’s children, william and lillie stevenson, shared their mom had only “recently discovered” she had cancer.
“we are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away after a battle with cancer, only recently discovered,” the statement reads. “she was surrounded by her closest family and fought with great strength, leaving us with a certainty of her never-ending joy of living and whatever adventures lie ahead.
“ … our mother’s zest and passion for life, her children, grandchildren and her many animals, not to mention her eternal joy of creating, were unparalleled and leave us inspired to live life to the fullest just as she did,”
her co-stars took to social media to share their condolences and fond memories of working alongside allen.
“kirstie was one of the most special relationships i’ve ever had. i love you kirstie. i know we will see each other again,” john travolta, her romantic interest in look who’s talking, wrote on instagram.
“kirstie met me at her house with a tuna sandwich on my favourite bread. ‘steve, i know all about you and your love of rye bread. eat some tuna,'” steve guttenberg wrote. “we were rehearsing it takes two, and every day she amazed me with her generosity of the tangible and with her soulfulness. the world is a bit empty without kirstie.”
early detection is key for colon cancer
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early detection is key when it comes to colon cancer (also known as colorectal cancer). colorectal cancer canada estimates that 90 per cent of cases, if caught early, can be treated effectively.
a patient who has developed colorectal cancer may not show many symptoms, according to the american cancer society, which is why screening is so important. some symptoms include blood in stool (which can appear dark brown or black in colour), constantly feeling the need to go to the bathroom, diarrhea or constipation that lasts for several days, abdominal cramps and unintentional weight loss.
a less invasive screening approach
the canadian cancer society doesn’t actually recommend routine colonoscopies for anyone not considered high-risk. instead, the recommendation for adults aged 50 to 74 is to have a stool test every two years, with a flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy only necessary if the stool test comes back with concerning results.
“there is convincing evidence that stool tests with appropriate followup can significantly reduce deaths from colorectal cancer,” the canadian cancer society said in an emailed statement to healthing in march. “a colonoscopy is not usually recommended as a routine screening test for people who don’t have a high risk for colorectal cancer. there isn’t enough evidence that it is more helpful than other available tests, and it has a slightly greater risk for harm.”
the american cancer society, on the other hand, recommends adults not considered high risk start using either a stool test or scope screening at the age of 45. screening methods include a full colonoscopy every 10 years, a flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years or a yearly stool test.
patients who are considered high risk include those who “have a parent, sibling or child with colorectal cancer, a personal history of colorectal cancer or non-cancerous polyps in the colon or rectum, inflammatory bowel disease and some inherited conditions such as familial adenomatous polyposis or lynch syndrome,” according to the canadian cancer society. in these instances, the patient’s doctor may choose to start screening early and use scopes instead of stool tests.
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screening for colorectal cancer
there are two kinds of stool tests. the first, a guaiac fecal occult blood test (gfobt) tests for trace amounts of blood in the sample, which could be a warning sign of developed tumours, according to colorectal cancer canada. the second stool test, fecal immunochemical test (fit or ifobt), also tests for blood, but uses an antibody detection method to screen for the presence of hemoglobin proteins, which may be more accurate.
if a stool sample is flagged, or if it’s considered necessary based on a patient’s risk factors, a flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy might be considered necessary. both procedures involve inserting a thin, flexible camera into the rectum and colon in order to visually look for signs of cancer like bleeding or polyps. in some cases, a small tissue sample may also be taken for analysis, polyps may be removed, and bleeding can be addressed.
a flexible sigmoidoscopy looks at the lower rectum and colon and can be completed in a doctors office, according to the canadian cancer society. to prepare, patients may be asked to follow a clear liquid diet the day before the test, such as broth, coffee or tea without cream or popsicles (not red, blue or purple). laxatives or an enema may be prescribed before the procedure to ensure the colon is empty. patients can return to their normal activities immediately afterwards.
a colonoscopy scope is able to look at more of the colon. because of this, the procedure is often performed by a gastroenterologist in a hospital, and pain medication or anesthesia may be recommended. the prep tends to be a little more involved than the sigmoidoscopy scope, as well. the doctor will prescribe a bowel prep in order to clean out the bowels. it’s important to ensure be in a comfortable place, with easy access to a bathroom once the prep is started, as it causes diarrhea.
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this procedure will take longer than a sigmoidoscopy scope, and patients may be asked to stay at the clinic for a few hours afterwards. depending on the medication given, it may also be necessary to arrange a ride home and possibly plan to spend the next day taking it easy.
this article includes information from an earlier article on cancer screenings.
emma jones is a multimedia editor with healthing. you can reach her at emjones@postmedia.com or on twitter @jonesyjourn
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