Diligent Screening Helped Nellie Jo Beat Colon Cancer

When Nellie Jo Gaston, 79, took an at-home stool test to screen for colon cancer, she didn’t have any signs or symptoms of the disease. Still, the results came back abnormal.

Concerned, the Chilicothe, Missouri resident met with Don Metry Jr., MD, a board-certified internal medicine physician at Hedrick Family Care. Dr. Metry performed a colonoscopy—and noticed something suspicious. He referred Nellie Jo to Benjamin J. Kulow, MD, a colon and rectal surgeon at Saint Luke’s Surgical Specialists at Saint Luke’s North Hospital–Barry Road.

The colonoscopy and biopsy revealed that Nellie Jo had a lesion on her colon and adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that begins in the glandular cells lining internal organs. Nellie Jo was diagnosed with colon cancer and scheduled for surgery to remove the cancer. 

Early detection makes a difference
Screening for colon cancer is important for two reasons. First, because some patients may not show symptoms of colon cancer, screening can catch the disease early. Second, a colonoscopy can help prevent colon cancer because physicians can remove precancerous polyps during the procedure. 

Most people begin colon cancer screenings at age 45. If test results are normal, doctors recommend getting additional colonoscopies every 10 years. If you have a family history of colon cancer, talk to your doctor about getting screened early. 

Symptoms such as blood in stool, unexplained weight loss, persistent changes in bowel movements, or ongoing abdominal discomfort may signal a need for a colon cancer screening.

“Early prevention and treatment are crucial,” Dr. Kulow says. “Nellie had an at-home stool test, commercially available through primary care physician offices, which allows for stool screenings every three years. Ultimately, the positive test is what prompted her colonoscopy evaluation.”

In 2024, Nellie Jo had a robotic-assisted surgery to remove part of her lower colon, including the cancer and nearby blood vessels. Lymph nodes located along those vessels are often the first place colon cancer spreads.

“Despite being 78 years old at the time, the surgery went very well,” Dr. Kulow says. “Nellie Jo was hospitalized for only three days and had no complications.” 

Nellie Jo’s recovery was smooth thanks to support from family, her positive attitude, and the Saint Luke’s North’s postoperative pain management program, which uses a combination of treatments to target different pain receptors and reduce the need for narcotics during and after hospitalization. 

In March 2025, Nellie Jo received some good news: Her colonoscopy came back clear, underscoring the importance of colon cancer screenings. 

“I had 1.5 inches taken out of my colon, but it hadn’t spread anywhere else, so the cancer was completely removed,” Nellie Jo says. “People shouldn’t put off getting a colonoscopy. Dr. Kulow recommended our family get colonoscopies because they have a higher risk for colon cancer. I thank him so much—I’m very blessed to have good doctors.”

Talk to your primary care provider to find out if colon cancer screening is right for you.