Bryan Health Patient Shares Journey with Colorectal Cancer and Importance of Screening

A Bryan Health patient recently shared his journey with colorectal cancer and the importance of preventative screenings. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in the United States, behind only breast, lung and prostate cancers. Over 150,000 people will be diagnosed with the illness this year. It’s the second deadliest cancer in Nebraska and rates are increasing in people under age 50.

Thankfully, colorectal cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer when discovered early. Regular screenings, beginning at age 45, are key to prevention or early discovery. Colonoscopies, along with other at-home tests, can help prevent up to 80% of all colon cancer deaths.

Put Off Screening

Warren Fick is a parts manager at Butler Ag Equipment in Pickrell. He’s a lifelong Nebraskan, born and raised in Saunders County. He and his wife live in Bennet with their teenage daughter. Fick is an overall healthy 46-year-old man. He had no symptoms of colorectal cancer or a family history with the disease. Because of this, he put off scheduling his routine health screenings, including a colonoscopy, over the last few years during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fick’s wife, Laura, is a nurse practitioner at Southeast Lincoln Family Medicine & Internal Medicine, part of Bryan Physician Network. She encouraged him to resume his preventative health screenings now that COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations were low. He agreed.

Early Stages of Cancer

Last October, Fick underwent a routine colonoscopy. During the procedure, Dr. Matthew Hrnicek, gastroenterologist, found and removed a 3.5-centimeter polyp. Later that week, lab results confirmed it was cancerous. Thankfully, it was detected early in stage one. Three weeks later, a surgeon removed nine inches of Fick’s colon and his cancer.

Today, Fick is back to leading his normal lifestyle. He feels fortunate that his cancer was detected early. Doctors told him that if he would’ve waited to get his colonoscopy even one more year, the cancer would have likely spread and his prognosis would have been much different. Now, Fick is sharing his experience to encourage other healthy and asymptomatic individuals to get preventative screenings.