Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer for men and women in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimated that in 2007, more than 150,000 people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer and more than 52,000 people were expected to die from this disease.

Those figures are staggering because colorectal cancer is largely preventable. It is also successfully treated 90 percent of the time when found early. The high rate of mortality among people with colon cancer is blamed on the lack of participation in life-saving screenings.

“Less than half of adults age 50 or older have had a colorectal cancer screening within the recommended time period,” said Dr. Adam Ellis, a General Surgeon at Logan Memorial Hospital. “When detected at an early stage, colorectal cancer is nearly 100 percent curable, but only 40 percent of the cancers are diagnosed at this stage – mostly due to low rates of screening.”

Colorectal cancer can develop from polyps (fleshy growths) that form in the colon or rectum. Polyps and colorectal cancer may not cause any symptoms, especially at first. Over the course of several years, polyps can develop into cancerous growths without the patient even knowing they are there. Through a colonoscopy, a growth can be detected and removed before it becomes cancerous, or when the cancer is in its earliest, most curable stages.

More than 90 percent of people diagnosed with colorectal cancer are over the age of 50. Due to this fact, The American Cancer Society recommends that all men and women with a normal risk of developing colorectal cancer begin screening at age 50 following the guidelines below. Talk to your physician about which test is best for you.

Tests that find polyps and cancer are: flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, or colonoscopy every 10 years, double contrast barium enema every 5 years, or CT colonogrphy (virtual colonoscopy) every 5 years.

Tests that mainly find cancer are fecal occult blood test (FOBT) every year, fecal immunochemical test (FIT) every year, or stool DNA test interval uncertain

A colonoscopy should be done if test results are positive.

For FOBT or FIT used as a screening test, the take-home multiple-sample method should be used. A FOBT or FIT done during a digital rectal exam in the doctor's office is not adequate for screening.

Anyone with an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer should begin screening sooner. (At age 40, or even before. Discuss your risk factors with your physician to determine the appropriate screening method and time frame for you.) Some factors that may put you at an increased risk of developing this disease include a family history of intestinal polyps or colorectal cancer, a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, or a personal history of colorectal polyps or cancer.

The key to preventing, treating, and surviving colorectal cancer is early detection through regular screening. If you are over the age of 50 and have not had a colorectal cancer screening, talk to your doctor about the benefits of being screened. You can also get more information on this and other health conditions by visiting our website at www.LoganMemorial.com and clicking on “Health Information.”

Logan Memorial Hospital offers a full range of colorectal procedures. Physicians who perform colorectal procedures at Logan Memorial are Dr. Adam Ellis, Dr. Steve Reese and Dr. Abrar Arshad.

Logan Memorial Hospital will host a lunch and learn session about colorectal cancer on Friday, March 20 at Noon. The luncheon will feature Dr. Stephen Reese and is free of charge, but registration is required. Call 725-4728 to register.