WhyYou Need To Get Screened For Colorectal Cancer (NAPSA)—Thesecond leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States is colorectal cancer (eancer of the colon or rectum). Only lung cancer is more deadly. Colorectal cancer is found in both men and women. Approximately 143,300 new cases are diagnosed, and nearly 57,000 die from it each year. If, however, everyone age 50 or older had regular screening tests, at least onethird of deaths from this type of cancer could be avoided. We've learned that the risk for this disease increases with age and that countless deaths from colorectal cancer can be prevented by having regular screening exams beginning at age 50. Screenings save lives. It is the best way to find polyps or growths in the colon or rectum so they can be removed before they become cancerous. Sereening can find colorectal cancer early, which is, of course, when treatment is most effective. It’s important to note that people who have polyps or colorectal cancer sometimes do not have symptoms, especially at first. This means that you could have polyps or colorectal cancer and not know it, which is why screening is so important. Doctors and nurses from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a panel of experts sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, recently made their strongest statement ever about the importance of regular screening for everyone over 50. Which test you get doesn’t matter—getting tested is the impor- a. amine : tant thing. Here are some test options: * A fecal occult blood test is used to check for hidden blood in the stool, which may be a sign of cancer or polyps. You collect samples of stool at home on three occasions and place them on special cards that you mail to a lab. * Sigmoidoscopy (sometimes called flexible sigmoidoscopy) is an examination of the rectum and lower colon using a lighted instrument called a sigmoidoscope. It can be performed in somedoctors’ offices. * Colonoscopy is an examination of the rectum and entire colon using a lighted instrument called a colonoscope. It is usually performed under sedation at a hospital. * A double-contrast barium enemais a series of X-rays of the colon and rectum. You are given an enema with a solution that contains barium, which outlines the colon and rectum on the Xrays. It is usually performed in the hospital or radiology clinic. If you’re 50 or older, talk to your clinician today and ask which test is right for you. Get screened—it could save yourlife.
