Colorectal cancer survivor now a tireless advocate

This type of disease is preventable, and fully treatable if caught early, biotech executive says

By Pamela Fayerman
Vancouver Sun

February 23, 2006

VANCOUVER - He is a research scientist whose work helped develop cancer treatment drugs, but when he got colorectal cancer himself at the age of 47, Vancouver biotechnology executive Alan Ezrin was in shock and denial.

"I was convinced when I was a younger adult that if I stayed active and ate well, I wouldn't have to think about my own mortality. Cancer was a foreign concept to me personally and then life threw me a curve ball," said Ezrin, who has been, since 2001, both cancer-free and the scientific director of Cardiome Pharma Corp.

"I think I had symptoms for about three months that I kind of ignored, attributing the rectal bleeding to a half-pound of red licorice I pigged out on at a movie. The fatigue I had I attributed to my constant travel. I was living in Montreal at the time and was on my way to Tokyo after returning from France when I realized how anemic I was," he said.

A colonoscopy, biopsy and surgery to remove a portion of his large intestine was what made Ezrin feel like he was "a dead man" when he realized he had advanced colorectal cancer. His tumour was the size of a two-dollar coin and the cancer had spread to his lymphatic system. But because of his relatively young age, and good health apart from the colon cancer, Ezrin got a double-barrelled, nine-month chemotherapy regime, and now, after rejoicing over his six-year cancer-free anniversary, he devotes much of his energy urging others to get screened, including strangers within earshot on planes, where he still spends much time.

"I don't know why people have such an aversion to fecal occult testing and colonoscopies. It is a personal, private body space, but this is also a cancer which is preventable, and if caught early, fully treatable," said Ezrin.

In B.C., an estimated 2,400 people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer last year and 960 died from it.

Ezrin addresses at a Colorectal Cancer Information Day forum Saturday that is free of charge. It is being held at the B.C. Cancer Research Centre and about 200 people are expected to attend.

Dr. Hagen Kennecke, an oncologist, said colorectal cancer is usually a slow-growing cancer which, if caught early, is more than 80-per-cent treatable. After the age of 50, a simple test checking for blood in the stool can be done at home and submitted to a lab for analysis. Those with a family history of colorectal cancer should begin testing earlier and usually with colonoscopies.

Ezrin said he discovered his father had been diagnosed and successfully treated for colorectal cancer in his 40s, which he told his son only after he was diagnosed.

"Back then, people referred to it as a stomach problem. If I'd known what it was, I would have gone for testing earlier and I will ensure my kids start getting tested in their 30s," he said, referring to the fact there is likely a genetic component to it.

"With good screening and follow-up, this is a disease we can beat and from what I've seen since I moved to B.C., the cancer care in B.C. is state of the art, top notch," said Ezrin.

Kennecke said the cancer agency will launch a colorectal cancer outcomes unit that will measure, for the first time in B.C., not only how many patients get and survive this form of cancer but also settle such questions as the risk of cancer coming back, what predicts whether it will return, the best timing for chemotherapy after surgery and the location of cancer relapses. The agency is now fundraising to establish the outcomes unit which will be modelled on the same systems that already exist for breast cancer, ovarian cancer and lymphoma.