Thursday, March 31st, the American Cancer Society and the Colon Cancer Prevention Task Force will answer your questions about colon cancer: risks, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatments, resources, and survivorship issues. A team of health experts at the American Cancer Society in Lubbock will be manning a Phone Bank to answer your colon cancer questions from 7 pm – 9:30 pm. The public is encouraged to call (806) 792-7128.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States among men and women combined. At least 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. aged 50-75 years have not been tested for colon cancer as recommended by the American Cancer Society and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, according to a CDC report. There are several recommended screening options including colonoscopy, stool tests (fecal immunochemical test [FIT], or guaiac fecal occult blood test [FOBT], or DNA stool test), or flexible sigmoidoscopy.
This year alone, an estimated more than 137,000 men and women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, while another 50,000 will die from it. Increasing colorectal cancer screening rates to 80% should save numerous lives each year by helping detect and treat cancer early and avoiding preventable cancer-related deaths.
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.
(Press Release from the American Cancer Society)