Do I have colon cancer? What is the possibility?

I'm going to go to the doctor in a few days but the thing is I'm worried and I want to know what is the possibility I have colon cancer?

I'm aged 21 male and I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis when I was 19.
I've only had 3 flare ups, my first when I was diagnosed, another a year later, and another half a year later.
My flare ups only lasted about a few weeks because the prednisone really helped put it down, after that I'm usually good for about a year or so.

My last flare up was about a year ago. I'm fine right now other than I've been experiencing abdominal pain.
It happens throughout the day and it's been happening for about a week.

It will go away from time to time but it comes back.

I'm not even sure its my abdomen because the pain is under my belly button.
The thing is though, I'm not experiencing diarrhea at all.

However...my anus is very hard to wipe, sometimes it hurts but it seems to heal sometimes.
Sometimes if I wipe very deep within it there's tiny little spots of blood. Not a huge chunk of blood but tiny little spots (not to the point where its dripping or anything).

I know I need to see the doctor, but what do you guys think?
Am I too young to get colon cancer? I know it can happen to anyone but on average for someone my age/gender. Is it less serious than I think it is?

Usually I don't get warnings of upcoming flares. One day I'm fine no pain at all, the next I've got diarrhea and it gets worse from there. No diarrhea right now though.

If I had colon cancer, wouldn't I have diarrhea by now?

What exactly are these pains I've been getting though?
I've never had these pains before in remission.

Should I still go to the doctor?

Are you taking any meds? Sounds like you might have hemroids. Don't stress out and think you have cancer cause you will make a flare! Go to GI and get on some meds and get scoped for piece of mind. In the meantime, get some tucks medicated pads to wipe with and some preparation H gell, it doesn't smell.

You might have gas pains

Well even young people can get cancer, but the chances are low especially if you've been relatively healthy the majority of your life....

I've had a flare from crohn's affecting my colon for 23 years straight, and no colon cancer for me at this point, I'm a smoker (for basically 33 years) I'll be 48 years old this summer, I've eaten for most of my life a diet that would be considered mostly unhealthy (lots of fast-food and processed foods) so if anyone has a higher risk of getting cancer (especially colon, rectal or anal) it's me.

You should still see your doctor, you're fairly new and young with this disease and it's always a good idea to see your GI if you're experiencing something new with your symptoms or anything you're worried about to put your mind at ease.

Talk with your GI about a scope schedule. And I second the recommendation on research. Do all the reading you can on UC. The disease is unpredictable and has many symptoms. To get anxious can only exacerbate your symptoms. If prescribed medications, take them, even if you are in remission.

Sue

Sugarcrave said...
Well this definitely brings a lot more perspective, thanks guys!

I'm still going to go to the doctor just to be safe.
I haven't had a colonoscopy since around 2012 so its been over 2 years.
When should I periodically be getting one? My specialist hasn't mentioned anything
about having another one any time soon.

Colonoscopy is given on diagnosis and recommended annually or biannual after 10 years.

Colonoscopy are an investigative/diagnostic tool, during flare ups of uc. Often a flexible sigmoidoscopy is all that is needed, less costly.

Yeah I'm on anti-inflammatory mezavant 4 pills per day (don't have the bottle with me right now to get the dosage). I also take prednisone when I flare (which is about once or twice a year, goes away after about 2 weeks).

Hmm but am I taking the prednisone too much?
My doctor told me that over time it will eventually degrade my bones but I'm not sure if I'm taking too much of it since I only take it about once or twice a year.

It would be better if you didn't flare twice a year and take steroids. Eventually your disease will become steroid resistant if you continue on this path.

Talk to your DR about adding rectal mesalamine. Oral plus rectal is the best way to keep your disease in control.

Sugarcrave said...
Hmm but am I taking the prednisone too much?
My doctor told me that over time it will eventually degrade my bones but I'm not sure if I'm taking too much of it since I only take it about once or twice a year.

Long term usage of prednisone includes risk of osteoporosis (bone loss), type two diabetes, glaucoma, and other nasty, irreversible side effects. Long-term usage, is a very subjective phrase and therefore open to many interpretations. I'd say much over a year of continuous prednisone usage at any dosage puts one at high risk of those things. Can several short courses of prednisone cause these, highly unlikely. If you're worried then ask your family doctor to schedule a bone density test, it's always good to have a baseline, and track it over time. Just try to use prednisone as infrequently as possible, and for the shortest course that you can.

If you flare multiple times a year, then something just isn't right with your uc maintenance medications. Time to try stronger dosages of your current medications (if not at max), or add new medications to your prescription, contact your gastroenterologist ASAP. As prednisone is a good rescue medication but not something that should be a part of your ongoing uc maintenance treatment.

Good luck,