Breast Cancer and Colon Cancer Risks

paradiju

Does anyone know if ones risk of getting colon cancer are higher once you have had breast cancer?

I had a lumpectomy in July, then chemo and radiation. I am 61 in good shape -- run and work out everyday -- eat mostly vegetarian and do not smoke. Yet my doc wants me to have a colonoscopy even though i have no risk factors for Colon Cancer. I am not adverse to this particular procedure but basically try to avoid any unecessary invasive procedures and drugs.

I could not find anything in the research i did on this subject. 

msphil

I am a Survivor of this disease and the only time my pcp suggested a colonoscopy is when I turned 51 I was told I should have it done because after 50 is when your chances go up, I did have it done and all clear, no polops or anything thank God, I am now 61 also and she suggesting it again, I think since it was clear I could wait 10 yrs, hope this helps and by the way I am an 18 yr Survivor(Praise God)

exbrnxgrl

Paradiju,

I think your doc is suggesting the colonoscopy not because of a connection to bc, but just because many people of your age get this test as a routine screening.

Caryn

paradiju

Thanks -- being an 18yr survivor is great -- i am happy for you.

Yes i know what the physicians say -- they all tell you you should have a colonoscopy after 50 but i am a skeptic -- having worked in the marketing field all my life i know only two well how labs make money and it is mostly by encouraging everyone to get all kinds of tests that years later prove to be unnecessary and even harmful. Just look at the controversy now surrounding mammograms -- turms out it doesn't really save lives after all -- too many missed diagnosis and false positives -- anyway I'll get off my lecturn now I was just curious if anyone had heard about any recent research out there about any correlation between Colon and breast cancer. Anything i could find said that your chances of getting CC are no greater if you had BC -- but a few reports say taht there is a slight increase.

Decisions -- decisions! 

paradiju

exbrnxgrl -- no she specifically said i want you to have it because you are at risk having had BC -- i just don't beleive her -- like i said i am definetly a skeptic -- besides being in advertising my best freind of 40 yrs is a GP -- believe me they are fallible and don't know everything -- so i have always been a great beleiver in doing my own research -- caveat emptor (SP)

Iamstronger

Funny you should post this. I had my first colonoscopy today! I am 46. My GI doc said that there is a slight increase in chance of colon cancer, very slight

He said everything looked great, but since i did have breast cancer he recommends a follow up in 5 years rather than the 10year norm. Fwiw, this procedure was nothing compared to what many of us have been through.



v

NannaBaby

My mom died from colon cancer.  She was diagnosed in her 40s and died at 56.  I was 28 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Oncologists think it could be genetic.  I am still doing ++ genetic testing.  I got my first colonoscopy November 2011.  It wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't that bad.  It's done very quickly.  I am gonna get one done every 5 years.  Ask to be put under general anesthesia if possible, or ask for ++ sedation.  The anxiety is the worst part.

paradiju

Vmarie -- that is a coincidence -- no i am not at all "scared" of the procedure -- like you said, after everything we've been through it's not a big deal. I just like to make up my own mind rather than doing it just because -- thanks for the input -- i am glad all is good with you!

exbrnxgrl

From what I've read, the studies about a bc/colon cancer relationship are very conflicting. Some point to a slightly greater risk for women with bc some don't. There does seem to be a slightly elevated risk for those who are BRCA 1 or 2 positive, but there is even some disagreement there. That said, colonoscopy is a great way to detect early colon cancer. It is much more accurate than the fecal occult test. I know two people who had very early stage colon cancer found during routine colonoscopies. They are both doing very well. Caryn

paradiju

nanna baby -- so sorry about your mom -- if I had a family history i wouldn't hesitate for a moment either!

samijo

There is a lot of controversy but there is a slightly increased risk of colon cancer when you have had breast cancer. I am going for an early colonoscopy this Tuesday, because I was just diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy...awaiting Oncotype Dx scores as well as the results of the colonoscopy to determine chemo or not. But...I have a family history of both: breast cancer on paternal side and colon colorectal cancer on maternal side...double whammy. My onco is being cautious, but I was due for the test next year anyway (every 5 years). To err on the side of caution is not a bad thing.

grammaB

This is an interesting topic for me. I am 64 have had 3 previous colonoscopies, on the 5 year plan. In each polyps were found. Last one was in Feb of '12. I got my bc dx in 7-13. BMX 8-13-13. I hadn't heard of a connection of bc and colon cancer. Mine seems kind of backwards. Frack! Do I have to worry about that now???

elimar86861

Hello Ladies,  I had both BC and CRC.  The information I got was that my risk was slightly higher than a person who had not had BC before, but the two don't have a strong link at this point.  I don't think that BRCA plays any role for CRC either (as of what is currently known.)  

paradiju,  Many people over 50 just randomly start to grow polyps in their colons.  For the garden variety of CRC, like adenocarcinoma, it takes about 10 years for a cell to go through the mutations from simply being abnormal to being full blown CRC.  After 50, it IS wise to just let the c-scope take a look and if any polyps are in there, let them snip them right off before they reach the cancer stage.  The saying is "Not all polyps are cancer, but all [CRC] cancers begin as polyps."   Yes, the prep is not fun.  Yes, the endoscopy is invasive.  Well, please believe me that having CRC is a whole lot worse than all of that.  If you are lucky, nothing at all will be found and you are good for another 10 years AND have peace of mind.  BTW, after the c-scope, you would think your butt would feel violated but the big surprise is that you feel very normal afterward.  Just hungry from the fasting for the prep.  Secondly, if the invasiveness is just something you can't get over, then DO ask the doc for the (take-home) Fecal Occult Blood Test. 

vmarie,  If nothing at all was seen on your endoscopy, and you don't have family history of CRC, I do not know why you would be asked back any sooner than 10 years.  I have not heard anything about BC making people have to get colonoscopies at a more frequent interval.  IF you manage to grow even one polyp, they will ask you back in 5 years, but not if nothing at all was found.  Other than making a buck, I'd like to know why your doc made that call.

I have been through the wringer with BC.  Then, through an even worse ringer with CRC.   Since I may not check back on this thread, if there is something specific I can help anyone with, get in touch with a PM. 

MelissaDallas

There are a couple of genetic syndromes (besides BRCA) that raise risk of breast, colon & ovarian cancer, Lynch Syndrome being one. Both my dad's mom & sister had colon cancer & I had ovarian cancer. The geneticist tested me for CHEK2 & PTEN mutations before they checked me for BRCA/BART. This is why I tell people to go for genetic counseling rather than just letting their doc order a BRCA test.

I was negative for all but they think we well may have an unknown as yet mutation.

MizMarie

Hi Everyone,

I also have had both BC and CRC.  In fact, it was exactly 2 years ago today that I had emergency surgery to remove 18" of colon barely  3 weeks after my last chemo for BC.  The abdominal pain I had experienced off and on throughout chemo suddenly became unbearable - I went to the ER and a CT scan revealed a whopping 6 cm tumor that was almost complete obstructing my colon.  I had already had BRCA testing done, which was negative.  I also had genetic testing done on the colon tumor; again, no genetic abnormalities found.  I had oncotype testing done also, as the pathology of my tumor was on the bubble in terms of whether chemo would be beneficial.  All that to say that my MO said theremay be a link between BC and CRC; he didn't indicate which one leads to the other.  In my case, given the size of my colon tumor, it clearly was established long before the breast tumor came along.  I was 48 at time of dx, not old enough for routine screening.

I've since had two colonoscopies, and as others have said, after what we've been through with breast cancer, a colonoscopy is no big deal.  The prep is the worst part - I slept through the procedure itself and don't remember a thing.

sandilee

the first thing my onc had me do after our first consult was get a colonoscopy.  He said there is increased risk.  He had nothing to gain, and I have a lot of various cancers in my family, so I didn't argue.  Plus, a good friend's husband had passed on from colon cancer recently.  And this is a cancer that is easy to prevent at the polyp stage.  

  After BC, it's nice to hear, all clear!

lala1

I just had a colonoscopy today (easy, peasy with a lovely nap!) and was told all clear, no polyps but because of my BC history I must return every 5 years due to slight increased risk.

LuvSnow

My MO said I may be a slightly higher risk for CRC due to my BC. Because of bouts of nausea I have had for over a year, and an elevated CEA (incidental finding from pre-op blood work to remove a large abdominal tumor) she told me to see a gastroenterologist. The gastro doc did an endoscopy and colonoscopy. Stomach and throat was fine, but I had four polyps. Three were precancerous and one was approximately 1cm. I'm 45 and colonoscopy wasn't on my radar...glad I went. I will go again in 2-3 years, barring any other concerning symptoms.

I'm not sure if there is a connection between BC and CRC, but I do know that since my 20s my body has taken pleasure in growing random stuff...from my thyroid, to breasts, ovaries, and stomach. So it may just be me.

Hopeful82014

I had my first colonoscopy 4 years ago - no family history, no inkling of risk. I had a large polyp of a type that is poorly understood but known to become cancerous. Due to its size, I was told to return in 3 years, which I did. At that point I had 3 more large polyps of the same type. 

Had I waited for symptoms, family history, etc., I'd still be waiting and probably be facing something worse than a colonoscopy down the road. 

I dreaded the first one for so many reasons but found it all much easier to take than expect. The 2nd one was even easier. I wouldn't hesitate a moment to schedule the next one. The sneaky thing about colon cancer is that you just don't feel a THING until it's cancerous rather than per-cancerous. The really good thing about it is that you CAN have any polyps removed so easily with such minimal risk that it's highly preventable. Even better, under the ACA it's now required to be covered by insurers. 

Everyone's free to make their own decision, of course, but I really don't think there's marketing hype involved.

glennie19

the clean-out is the worst part of it.   I had one 5 years ago and the procedure itself was easy.  I need to check and see when I should get a repeat.

april25

My aunt had breast cancer in her 60s, then colon cancer in her 70's. No idea if it's related, but it could have been!

Because she had colon cancer and my dad (her brother) had colon cancer in his 70's, I've had two colonoscopies (I'm 58), that was pre-bc dx.

Colonoscopy is a breeze. The prep means you can't eat and have to drink this stuff that clears you out so they actually see your colon... It's not fun, but not hard to do. Colonoscopy itself was easy. You go like down on the table, fall asleep, wake up feeling a bit woozy from the anesthesia (twilight, not full, usually). My butt felt fine. In fact, it felt better than the night before when all the toilet visits was making it a bit sore! Yeah, TMI!!!

But really, I'd encourage people to just do it. They can snip off polyps and then test them easily. Nothing was painful or hurt at all. It was quick, although maybe you'd need a day off just to get everything done.

clarrn

My grandpa had colon ca, my father and aunts have had polyps removed. All my genetics forms asked if there was colon ca in my family. Appointment with geneticist on the 17th, so I will ask about when I should have my first check.

SuzyQ42

I have had IBS most of my life, but the past 3 years it has gotten almost unbearable. There are days I spend 3 hours (cumulative) on the toilet. I have diarreah at least 3 days a week (Sorry, TMI!). I had done the fecal occult blood test and it was negative, but my Doc suggested I have a colonoscopy. I'm 51. My colonoscopy is scheduled for May 18th. Meanwhile, I've been diagnosed with DCIS (that is likely IDC and have MX scheduled next week. I haven't cancelled my appointment for the colonoscopy. I'm planning to ask my surgeon on Monday what she thinks of going ahead with it. There is no cancer in my family (the side that I know anyway), but my Grandfather did have polyps.

I dread the prep for the colonoscopy far more than I dread the mastectomy and reconstruction. But that's probably because I have no idea how bad those are going to be for me.

Anyone have any thoughts on having the colonoscopy so soon after mastectomy??

Hopeful82014

I don't know about the timing via a vis your mastectomy, SuzyQ but I assure you the prep for the colonoscopy is a piece of cake compared to any type of surgery! It is really NO BIG DEAL. It just feels like it is the first time. .

jill47

Hi SuziQ - welcome to the bco and I'm sorry about your dx and upcoming mx + immediate reconstruction, this is a highly invasive, long and painful surgery which is very traumatic to the body. Recovery is long and painful. While we anticipate nothing will go wrong during and after surgery, things can go wrong or take longer to heal that you anticipate. Can you talk your GI specialist into getting the colons. procedure done beforehand? Not to scare you but I feel compelled to tell you that 2 years post my last breast recon surgery (fat grafting); I developed overnight cellulitis in both breasts 6 weeks ago. My BS said it was most likely from an infection I got the day after my 1st and last colonoscopy in January, ran 102 fever, body aches and chills (age 50 did the recommended screening) plus I had an upper endo for suspect stomach ulcer - BS said the infection went systemic and bacteria seeded in my implanted breasts. 10 days of a strong antibiotic killed most of the infection however I'm still healing and going forward I will have to take prophylactic antibiotics days before any invasive procedures including dental work. Regarding colon polyps, my Mom had 5 removed a few years ago found at 65 yrs old, my colon and stomach are clean, just managing gastritis with meds. I wish you the best, hopefully you can get the colons done as soon as possible for piece of mind. Jill

SuzyQ42

Thank you both! I ended up canceling the colonoscopy. There wasn't time to do it before and it was just too soon after. I'll reschedule when I get the all clear from my docs.

Thanks too for the reassurance! And now that I've had the surgery, I agree with you. How bad can it be after that!? :

NJ-Jen

Last year I had a colonoscopy and the doc found a polyp and told me not to worry because it was commonly found in women's with breast cancer. I was stunned a bit as I said, uh, I don't have breast cancer.... Fast forward and I have breast cancer.

Hyperplastic polyps may be related.

I told the doc he was psychic.

robyn31024

The guidelines are to have your first sceening colonoscopy at age 50. Or if you have family history of colon ca then it should be done earlier. I was suppose to have mine done at age 40 bc my mom was diagnosed with colon ca and i have not. I was actually planning to do it by december this year but of course that will have to wait since I have to go through chemo for breast Ca

Keeping_the_Faith

Hello, hope all is well. Because we had similar cases as BC I was wondering if you took Tamoxifen and if so, for how long. I’d appreciate the feedback. Thank you

bluepearl

The connection, from my understanding, is a genetic one, which puts you at risk for colon cancer. I just had my colonoscopy (5 ear schedule) and was clear...despite two separate breast cancers.

mustlovepoodles

I have the PALB2 and Chek2 gene mutations, which are implicated with increased risk of colorectal cancers, plus strong family history of both breast and colorectal cancers. Not only did I have to give up my breasts, I get to have colonoscopies every 3-5 years now. Lucky me.