Saved by colonoscopy: Ruth’s story

In November 1999, Ruth Edstrom got the news that changed her life. She had stage 4 colon cancer, and it had spread to her liver.

The news overshadowed an otherwise happy life. Edstrom, then 50, had a new husband, a new grandchild, and a job she loved at a Minneapolis advertising agency.

A history of digestive problems

Several years before her diagnosis, Edstrom began having digestive problems – bloating, a change in bowel habits and pain after eating.

Two years before her diagnosis, she had even had a sigmoidoscopy and a barium enema – two tests used to screen for colon cancer. At the time, doctors believed she had irritable bowel syndrome.

Colorectal cancer

But in 1999, Edstrom began to have rectal bleeding along with her other symptoms. This time she was scheduled for a colonoscopy at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

The colonoscopy indicated cancer. She had surgery a few days later to remove the cancerous section of her intestine. That’s when doctors found that the cancer had also spread to her liver.

"Fortunately, the cancer on my liver was in a place that was operable," says Edstrom.

After surgery to remove a part of her liver, she returned to Abbott Northwestern's Virginia Piper Cancer Institute for seven cycles of chemotherapy.

According to Rob McCabe, MD, a gastroenterologist at Minnesota Gastroenterology, the average American has a 1 in 18 chance of developing colorectal cancer during his or her lifetime. More than 56,000 people die from it each year.

"While it's rare in people under 40, it's a very common form of cancer after age 50," says McCabe. "It's also an equal opportunity cancer. It affects women just as much as men and is seen in all ethnic groups."

Colorectal cancer is more common in Western nations than it is in developing countries. "There's some evidence that the Western diet, with its high fat content, may play a role," says McCabe.

Risk factors

Risk factors for colorectal cancer include…

chronic colitis (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis)
a personal or family history of polyps
a family history of colon cancer

In addition, people with familial adenomatous polyposis, a condition in which hundreds of polyps occur, are almost certain of developing colon cancer by age 40 if left untreated.

Edstrom knew that an uncle died of colon cancer in his 70s, but she was not aware of any other risk factors.

Screenings save lives

McCabe says that people who have no risk factors for colorectal cancer should start being screened at age 50. Individuals at higher risk should begin screening earlier.

"The goal of screening is to find the cancer early so it can be cured with surgery," says McCabe.

McCabe encourages people of all ages to see their doctor if they notice these signs of colorectal cancer:

any change in bowel habits
persistent discomfort or bloating in the lower abdomen
rectal bleeding

"The most important thing is for people to go get screened," says Edstrom. "Since my diagnosis, I've succeeded in convincing three out of my four siblings to get screened."

At the age of 43, Edstrom's brother learned that he had a precancerous polyp. Today, he continues to get regular screenings and has been clear for three years.

"He now has 2 ½ year old twins and a new perspective on getting screened," says Edstrom.

Life after cancer

Edstrom, now 56, continues to get regular screenings. She also works full-time at the same Minneapolis advertising agency. She now has two grandchildren, and her son has gotten married.

Edstrom looks forward to marking five years of being cancer-free this June. "This has changed my life in ways I could not have imagined. I look at every day as a miracle."