Fighting Colorectal Cancer on Many Fronts

Dr. Indran Krishnan and Georgia Governor Nathan Deal

Indran Krishnan, MD, FRCP (London), FRCP(C), FACP, FACG is fighting colorectal cancer on many fronts. As a gastroenterologist, he personally screens people every week. As an associate professor at Emory University, he trains the next generation of physicians. As an advocate, he serves on Fight Colorectal Cancer’s Board of Directors, and was a founding member of the Georgia Colon Cancer Coalition. In the first 4 months of 2012, Indran stepped up his efforts by:

• Meeting with Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and members of the Georgia legislature to introduce them to Fight Colorectal Cancer and spread the word about screening;
• Attending this year’s Call-on Congress, our annual advocacy training and lobby day;

• Participating in a CVS Caremark webinar to speak about colorectal cancer awareness and the role of pharmacists as advocates for early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer;
• Providing the keynote speech at a “Closing Out March, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month” ceremony sponsored by Given Imaging; and
• Answering questions about screening via Talk About Health. We thought you might enjoy reading Indran’s responses:

1. At the time of colon cancer screening what questions should a patient ask a physician?
2. Would you share what colon cancer screening is and what it entails?
3. How is it determined if someone is at high risk for colon cancer?
4. If my primary care physician suspects colon cancer, what are the next steps?
5. Is there any link between IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and colon cancer?
6. Are there any new promising treatments or medications for men with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)?
7. How do you decide what colon cancer screening option should be used for a particular patient?
8. If polyps are found during a colonoscopy, should I be worried? What are the next steps?