Health

Screening for Colon Cancer

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in The Bahamas, and while some may have fallen victim to the disease, doctors say it is not a death sentence.

Published

3 years ago

March 17, 2023

Jameelha Missick

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in The Bahamas, and while some may have fallen victim to the disease, doctors say it is not a death sentence.

Colon cancer develops from polyps that are benign, which means they aren’t cancerous and may not spread, but surgical oncologist Dr. Wesley Francis says they must be caught early.

The gold standard screening tool for colon cancer is a colonoscopy.

But what about symptoms? Dr. Francis says they usually occur when the cancer is located on the left side of the colon.

Once diagnosed with the illness, he says the primary treatment for cancer confined to the colon, is surgery.