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If you are 50 and over, make getting
screened for Colorectal Cancer your New
Year's resolution
OAK BROOK, Ill., Dec. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- As a new year approaches, the American
Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)
encourages all men and women age 50 and over
to add getting screened for colorectal
cancer to their list of New Year's
resolutions for 2008.
Recent studies have confirmed that a
majority of Americans who should be screened
for colorectal cancer are not. Colorectal
cancer is a preventable and treatable
disease when caught in its early stages.
If you are age 50 or over, talk to your
doctor about the colorectal cancer screening
method that is best for you.
Colorectal cancer almost always develops
from abnormal growths, called polyps, in the
colon or rectum. Screening through
colonoscopy saves lives by detecting and
removing the precancerous polyps before they
become cancerous.
Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly
diagnosed cancer in men and women and the
second leading cause of cancer-related
deaths in the
United States, killing nearly 56,000 people each year. Many of those deaths could be
prevented with earlier detection.
The five-year relative survival
rate for people whose colorectal cancer is
treated in an early stage is greater than 90
percent. Unfortunately, only 39 percent of
colorectal cancers are found at that early
stage. Once the cancer has spread to nearby
organs or lymph nodes, the five-year
relative survival rate decreases
dramatically.
ASGE screening guidelines recommend that,
beginning at age 50, men and women at
average risk for developing colorectal
cancer should begin colorectal cancer
screening.
People with risk factors, such as a family
history of colorectal cancer, should begin
at an earlier age. Patients are advised to
discuss their risk factors with their
physician to determine when to begin routine
colorectal cancer screening and how often
they should be screened.
Colonoscopy is a procedure which looks at
the entire colon and plays a very important
role in colorectal cancer prevention because
it is
the only method that is both diagnostic and
therapeutic. Not only does colonoscopy view
the entire colon, but it also removes polyps
before they turn into cancer.
Colorectal cancer can be present in people
without symptoms, known family history, or
predisposing conditions, such as
inflammatory bowel disease.
While common in other benign conditions, the
following symptoms might indicate colorectal
cancer:
-- Unexplained change in bowel habits
-- Unexplained weight loss
-- Blood in the stool
-- Unexplained anemia
If you experience any of these symptoms, you
should consult your doctor.
For more information about colorectal cancer
screening or to find a qualified physician,
visit ASGE's colorectal cancer awareness Web
site at
http://www.screen4coloncancer.org.
About the American Society for
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Founded in 1941, the mission of the American
Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy is to
be the leader in advancing patient care and
digestive health by promoting excellence in
gastrointestinal endoscopy.
ASGE, with more than 10,000 physician
members worldwide, promotes the highest
standards for endoscopic training and
practice, fosters endoscopic
research, recognizes distinguished
contributions to endoscopy, and is the
foremost resource for endoscopic education.
Visit
http://www.asge.org and
http://www.screen4coloncancer.org for
more information.
About Endoscopy
Endoscopy is performed by specially-trained
physicians called endoscopists using the
most current technology to diagnose and
treat
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Using flexible, thin tubes called
endoscopes, endoscopists are able to access
the human digestive tract
without incisions via natural orifices.
Endoscopes are designed with high-intensity
lighting and fitted with precision devices
that allow
viewing and treatment of the
gastrointestinal system. In many cases,
screening or treatment of conditions can be
delivered via the endoscope
without the need for further sedation,
treatment or hospital stay.
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