The specialists of Digestive Disorders Consultants, a practice of Meritus Medical Group, are using March’s Colon Cancer Awareness Month as an opportunity to remind the community of the importance of colorectal screening.
Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the U.S.
The screening for colorectal cancer – a colonoscopy – is an outpatient procedure where the doctor examines the entire lining of the colon with a flexible instrument, takes biopsies and removes polyps. Removal of pre-cancerous polyps can prevent cancer from starting or effectively treat cancers that are found early. The procedure takes less than 25 minutes.
Colonoscopies are recommended for everyone older than 50 and earlier for those with family history of colon cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 148,000 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with colorectal cancer last year with more than 49,000 dying from the disease. Less than half of all people in the U.S. ages 50 and older have had a recent screening test.
