Originally published on Wednesday, October 12th, 2005
Archives, Cancer, Weight Loss by Jeff Jurmain for The Doctors Health Press

When it comes to cancer detection, the earlier you and your doctor find out that there may be a problem the better off you will be in terms of treatment. One common place cancer is discovered is in the colon. Colorectal cancer ranks high on the list for both men and women every year. It is a misnomer to think that men, who do get it more often, are the only ones who get it. We all have colons and we are all at risk.

 I am discussing this form of cancer as a gender issue because it’s come to light that sex plays a serious role in how often people get check-ups. In North America, there are far more male doctors than female ones. The gap is only now starting to close, but it still remains very wide. Thus, the wait time to see a female specialist will invariably be longer than for a male specialist. A brand new study has put this fact in a new — and negative — light.

 Published in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, a report says that women all across the U.S. prefer to wait up to a month to be examined by a female colonoscopist rather than a male specialist. In a survey, the researchers found that this preference is so prevalent that it may be preventing women from getting screened for colon cancer early enough. Nearly 50% of women surveyed preferred that a female examine them, while less than two percent preferred a man. That is a gigantic difference. Five percent said that they would never go to a male specialist. The majority said that they would feel embarrassed being treated by a male colonoscopist, and that female doctors would be better listeners and more empathetic to their situation.

 That is all well and good (and, of course, impossible to verify), but the point is that 90% of women are willing to wait 30 days for an appointment. Depending on the progression of the disease, 30 days could be significant to their case. Here is something for females to know: experts say that up to 1,000 cancer deaths a year can be attributed

 to gender preferences for doctors. They based that figure on statistics regarding colon cancer.

 It’s my opinion that a cancer-screening test is warranted as soon as possible, regardless of a physician’s gender. The importance rises substantially if you notice some of the following symptoms that might suggest colorectal cancer:

 – If your bowel movements start changing. This could mean unusual diarrhea, constipation, or noticeable change in your stools. — If the stools are narrow. — If there is blood in the stool. — If you experience cramps, gas, or pain consistently. — If you feel abdominal pain during bowel movements. — If you feel as though your bowels are never completely empty. — If you experience unexplained weight loss.

Next Post: Asthma Medicine Linked to Fatalities
Previous Post: Study Shows That Americans are Likely to Gain Weight

Tags: cancer prevention, Colon Cancer, quick weight loss