March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month!

Colorectal Cancer: Preventable. Treatable. Beatable.

 Did you know…?

1. Colorectal cancer screening saves lives and is one of only a few cancers that can be prevented through screening.

2. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States in both men and women.

3. The risk of developing colorectal cancer increases with age and more than 90% of cases occur in people aged 50 or older.

4. It is recommended for otherwise healthy men and women to have a colonoscopy at 50 years of age and every 10 years thereafter, at a minimum.

Colorectal Cancer Risk Factors

1. People age 50 and older

2. People who smoke

3. People who are overweight or obese, especially those who carry fat around their waists

4. People who aren’t physically active

5. People who drink alcohol in excess, especially men

6. People who eat a lot of red meat (such as beef, pork or lamb) or processed meat (such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs or cold cuts)

7. People with personal or family histories of colorectal cancer or benign (not cancerous) colorectal polyps

8. People with personal histories of inflammatory bowel disease (such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)

9. People with family histories of inherited colorectal cancer or inherited colorectal problems