St. Claire HealthCare Offers Cancer Care from Routine Screenings to Recovery

“A lot of people put off cancer screenings because they’re afraid of the results. They’re worried that their life will be over. SCH is here to prove that is never the case,” said Jacob Perry, MD, SCH General Surgeon. “Your journey doesn’t end with a diagnosis at St. Claire HealthCare.”

You’ve completed your routine colon cancer screening and were diagnosed with colon cancer. Now what?

“Often, laparoscopic surgery is all someone may need to treat cancer and get their life back,” said Perry. “Our cancer care team will be with you every step of the way, from routine screenings to diagnosis, treatment to survivorship and beyond.”

Colon cancer is an overgrowth of normal colon tissue within the large intestine. Like many other cancers, colon cancer has the ability to spread to other organs throughout the body. If diagnosed in any early stage (stages 1 through 3), colon cancer is typically treated through surgical removal. Stages 3 and 4 colon cancer may also need chemotherapy or radiation therapy for a full recovery.

“After a diagnosis, most patients will meet with our general surgery team to discuss their treatment options. We offer minimally invasive surgery options, as well as traditional open surgeries, for the removal of the cancer,” said Dr. Perry.

When a patient is a good candidate for minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgery to remove the cancer, they are typically back to normal within three weeks post-surgery. Most are only hospitalized for three to five days and experience soreness for not much longer after.

To prevent colon cancer, the American Cancer Society recommends that adults age 45 or older without a family history of colon cancer should be screened. Those with a family history of colon cancer or polyps should be screened by age 40 or 10 years before the age of the youngest case in your immediate family. Talk with your doctor about a referral to St. Claire HealthCare or call 606.780.5559 for questions about scheduling your screening.