Early Screening Key In Preventing Colon Cancer

If you saw a lot of people wearing blue on Friday, March 5th, it wasn't just a coincidence. It was is Dress In Blue Day to raise awareness of colorectal cancer.  All this month, WTAJ, Conemaugh Health System and the American Cancer Society are encouraging folks in the region to talk about colon cancer and learn ways to prevent it.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, although doctors say it's almost completely preventable. Most of us can protect ourselves, simply by undergoing a colonoscopy when we turn 50. If you have a parent or a brother or sister with the disease, you need to get that colonscopy 15 years before the age at which your relative was diagnosed.

As it is with other cancers, early detection is key. According to Conemaugh oncologist, Dr. Ibrahim Sbeitan, " the natural history of cancer is to spread and populate the rest of the body . The bigger the cancer, the more advanced at the time of diagnosis, the more likely this will happen in the future."

During colonoscopy , your doctor can remove polyps before they become cancerous, or find cancerous growths at their earliest stage.

For more information about colorectal cancer, or for a brochure on the Facts about Colorectal Cancer from Conemaugh Health Systems, click here to complete our form.