BECOMING MORE AND MORE POPULAR, GUYS. >> THANKS VERY MUCH. >>> WE HAVE NEW DETAILS ON THE PASSING OF KIRSTIE ALLEY. THIS MORNING WE'RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT HER BRIEF BATTLE WITH COLON CANCER, THE FOURTH MOST COMMON CANCER DIAGNOSED IN THE U.S. THE EMMY WINNING ACTRESS WAS ALSO CANDID ABOUT HER HEALTH CONCERNS OVER THE YEARS INCLUDING HER STRUGGLE WITH WEIGHT, CIGARETTES AND DRUGS. LET'S BRING IN DR. JEN ASHTON. COLON CANCER HITS PEOPLE MOST OFTEN IN KIRSTIE'S AGE GROUP? >> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT EVEN THOUGH WE'RE SEEING RATES OF COLON CANCER GOING UP IN PEOPLE UNDER 45 WHO AREN'T ROUTINELY SCREENED THIS IS A TYPE OF CANCER THAT GOES UP WITH AGE, SLIGHTLY MORE COMMON IN MEN VERSUS WOMEN. BUT THE KEY THING, GEORGE, IS THAT IN EARLY STAGES OF COLON CANCER, THERE CAN BE NO SYMPTOMS OR SOMEONE COULD BE ASYMPTOMATIC. WHEN YOU GET TO MORE ADVANCED STAGES THERE CAN BE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS LIKE ABDOMINAL PAIN, UNEXPLAINED WEIGHT LOSS IS A BIG ONE, BLOOD IN STOOL OR ANEMIA. THAT'S DETECTED ARE THE SIGNS TYPICALLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT METASTATIC OR LATER STAGES. >> HARD TO FIND. WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS? >> SO FOR THE AVERAGE RISK PERSON, AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN GO UP WITH AGE BUT THERE IS A LONG LIST OF RISK FACTORS, FAMILY HISTORY LIKE WITH ANY CANCER IS TOP OF THE LIST, CERTAIN GENETIC MUTATIONS, SOMETHING CALLED LYNCH SYNDROME IS A BIG ONE, OBESITY, PEOPLE WHO ARE INACTIVE OR DON'T GET A LOT OF EXERCISE OR BEHAVIORAL THINGS LIKE DIET THAT'S LOW IN FIBER, FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. SMOKING AND ALCOHOL TO EXCESS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE ON THE LIST OF RISK FACTORS BUT IT'S GENERALLY NOT ONE THING, GEORGE. >> SCREENINGS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES? >> SO FOR THE AVERAGE RISK PERSON TO START AT 45 AND THAT'S A NUMBER THAT'S GONE DOWN RECENTLY. IT USED TO BE 50. BUT ANYONE WHO HAS FAMILY HISTORY OR A GENETIC MUTATION SHOULD OBVIOUSLY GET SCREENED OR ANYONE WITH ANY OF THOSE SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS. >> I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU, MANY PEOPLE PUT OFF THE COL COLONOSCOPY BECAUSE OF THE PREP. ANYTHING TO EASE THAT. >> I'M SO GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP, ROBIN, BECAUSE THAT PREP IS SOMETHING THAT -- THE FIRST THING I TELL MY PATIENTS IS, YOU HAVE ANESTHESIA, YOU ARE ASLEEP, YOU WILL FEEL NO DISCOMFORT, NO EMBARRASSMENT. BUT THE KEY THING ABOUT THE PREP, EVERY GASTROENTEROLOGIST WILL GO THROUGH THEIR LIST OF WHAT TO DO THE DAY BEFORE. I SAY START TWO DAYS BEFORE WITH CLEAR LIQUID DIET. THAT MEANS ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN READ PRINT THROUGH, SO GINGER ALE, CLEAR CHICKEN BROTH, JELL-O, COCONUT WATER, THAT WILL MAKE THE DAY BEFORE MUCH EASIER AND MAKE THE JOB OF THE GASTROENTEROLOGIST EASIER BECAUSE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GET A BETTER VISUALIZATION. >> YOU CAN SEE THROUGH ALCOHOL BUT DON'T DRINK THAT. >> DON'T DRINK THAT. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING. >> MAKING IT CLEAR