SL_EinsteinProfile_0919FINAL_Layout 1 9 / 12 / 19 3 : 32 PM Page 1 D PROFILE by Bill Donahue | photography by Jody Robinson ‘ No Magic Pill ’ he statistics surrounding the prevalence of colorectal cancer in the United States are , in a word , sobering . The disease is the third T leading cause of cancer - related deaths in Amer - ican men and in women , according to the Amer - ican Cancer Society ; it’s the second most common cause of cancer deaths among men and women combined . If the estimates hold true , the disease will have claimed more than 51,000 U.S . lives this year . “ The good news is that it’s a very preventa - ble disease , ” says Michelle DeLeon , M.D . , a board - certified colorectal surgeon with Einstein Healthcare Network . “ The best way to prevent the disease is with screening . With colonoscopy , precancerous polyps can be removed com - pletely to prevent the development of an invasive cancer . ” To facilitate the screening process , Einstein has created a program called Direct Access Dr . Michelle DeLeon of Einstein Healthcare Network Colonoscopy , through which patients can sched - ule the procedure over the phone , without hav - prescribes open dialogue , screening , and other proactive ing to come in for a preliminary office visit . The goal : to make preventative screenings as acces - measures to protect against colorectal cancer . sible as possible . The Direct Access Colonoscopy number for those who live near the Einstein Medical Center Montgomery campus in East Norriton is ( 610 ) 233 - 3161 , and the number for such as diverticulitis , inflammatory bowel dis - colon , and people were in the hospital for a long residents who live near Einstein’s locations in the ease , and pelvic floor dysfunction , among others . time because of postoperative pain , ” Dr . DeLeon city is ( 215 ) 456 - 5832 . She says she “ finds a lot of reward ” in treating says . “ Now with minimally invasive approaches “ The problem is that some people don’t patients affected by these serious health issues . to surgery , people are out of the hospital in just a want to talk about it , ” she says . “ Many of them If she has any advice for individuals looking few days , and back to their normal daily lives in are nervous about getting a colonoscopy so they to decrease the risk associated with colorectal a few weeks . ” put it off , and that delay can give the cancer time cancer , she suggests following a healthy lifestyle Dr . DeLeon , who operates at Einstein Med - to develop and , in some cases , metastasize . ” and being proactive about addressing any ical Center Montgomery in East Norriton and Ein - She has been encouraged by increasing rates changes to their gastrointestinal health . stein Medical Center Elkins Park , is trained in of screening , but suggests the medical commu - “ The biggest thing is to get screened , because advanced surgical techniques including robotic nity still have a lot of work to do , with only 50 to many deaths attributed to colorectal cancer are surgery , laparoscopic surgery , and transanal min - 70 percent of the target population getting preventable , ” she says . “ In terms of diet and imally invasive surgery , or TAMIS . TAMIS uses screened for the disease . The age at which a pa - lifestyle , it’s always good to have high fiber in your long instruments to remove benign polyps and tient should begin getting screened is somewhat diet , but there’s no magic pill . If you’re having any some early cancerous tumors within the rectum . debatable . While the American College of Gas - bleeding or experiencing any other gastrointesti - The organ - sparing procedure is performed en - troenterology recommends normal - risk individ - nal symptoms , alert your primary - care doctor . tirely through the body’s natural opening , re - uals go in for colonoscopy starting at age 50 , the A lot of the things we take for granted some - quires no incisions to gain access to the treated American Cancer Society issued new guidelines times end up being more serious . ” area , and “ saves a lot of morbidity , ” Dr . DeLeon in 2018 that suggest the recommended screening ? says . The scar - free recovery tends to provide a age be decreased to 45 . The change stems from quick return to normal bowel function and , all a data analysis showing colorectal cancer occur - Einstein Medical Center D in all , normal life . ring at an increasing rate among younger adults . Montgomery A native of Cherry Hill , N.J . , Dr . DeLeon went For those whose screenings indicate colorec - 559W . Germantown Pike | East Norriton , Pa . to medical school at Thomas Jefferson University tal cancer , institutions such as Einstein have rev - ( 800 ) EINSTEIN | ( 484 ) 622 - 1000 in Philadelphia , and did her fellowship in colorec - olutionized the surgery used to treat the disease . Direct Access Colonoscopy : ( 610 ) 233 - 3161 tal surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio . In ad - “ It used to be that all colon surgery was done dition to colorectal cancer , she treats conditions with big incisions to remove a portion of the einstein.edu SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2019 20 |