On The Future of Colorectal Cancer in Canada
On The Future of Colorectal Cancer in Canada
After being diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 1995, Barry Stein devoted his career to supporting future patients by forming what is now Colorectal Cancer Canada.
Colorectal cancer can be prevented through screening to identify and remove polyps before they become cancerous. Increased awareness and education – due in part by the efforts of organizations like Colorectal Cancer Canada – has meant that the mortality rate for colorectal cancer has been in decline in recent years. However, it is still the second-leading cause of cancer death in Canadian men, and the third-leading in Canadian women.
Watch the video above to learn more about the importance of being screened for the disease, and what Colorectal Cancer Canada is doing to help Canadians both before and after their cancer diagnosis.
My name is Barry Stein and I’m the president of Colorectal Cancer Canada.
In 1995, I had some symptoms. I had a little bit of blood in my stool.
I then actually went for a colonoscopy, and to everyone’s surprise, because at the point I was 40, they found something that they said was suspicious of a carcinoma.
We found out that it had actually metastasized to my live.
So I went to head of our oncology department, and I said, “give it to me straight. I can take it.”
And he said, “well you know, if we can remove it from your liver, if that is a possibility, then you have a chance of about 15% of living five years.
Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of death from cancer in Canada men, and the third-leading for Canadian women.
Colorectal Cancer Canada’s involved in many areas, from awareness and education, support and advocacy.
In some of the recent cases what I’ve found is we’re able to find combinations of technologies and work with patients and their physicians to have a combination of therapies that work together so that it’s very personalized for that patient.
Genetic testing can help determine a person’s risk of developing colorectal cancer. Biomarker testing can help determine which treatment will work best for each person.
There’s actually two types of genetic testing.
The first type of genetic testing may indicate that you are at a higher risk for colon cancer or colorectal cancer, or other diseases for that matter.
For molecular profiling, knowing if you have a certain genetic mutation, a certain drug will work.
And we do this regularly for patients and what’s important however though, is to ensure that you get the right treatment at the right time.
As a survivor of colon cancer, I’m able to relate to a lot of the patients personally to understand their fears and really what their aspirations are in terms of finding a cure.
While at first, I sort of shied away from my store, I soon realized that my own story actually was empowering other people to know that they too have this opportunity to survive.
This is a cancer that can be prevented through early screening, early detection, and really for those who were diagnosed with disease, really getting them at the very earliest stages.
One of our first initiatives when we first started to work in the area of advocacy and colorectal cancer was to bring about screening programs in every province.
Today we do everything from education, consensus statement, guidelines for health professionals.
The message that I really pass onto people is, nobody knows what the future is going to bring, so therefore enjoy your life today to the fullest extent and that will really ultimately provide the best results.
Talk to your doctor about your risk of colorectal cancer and getting screened for the disease.