Prevent colon cancer through screening

A recently released study by the American Cancer Society has found that New Yorkers, especially those living in Queens, are not taking advantage of early detection methods when it comes to colon cancer.
“Missing the Message: A Report on Colon Cancer Detection in New York, 2007” found that “more than half of all colon cancer patients are being detected at a later stage when treatment options are limited and survival rates drop dramatically.” The statistics were released at the beginning of March, which is Colon Cancer Awareness Month.
In Queens, 65 percent of the cases of colon cancer are detected in their later stages. Within the city, Staten Island has the most at 70 percent followed by Brooklyn with 66 percent. Behind Queens, the Bronx had 64.4 percent and Manhattan 64.7 percent.
“We’re not even close to where we should be and we need to do better,” said Dr. Donald H. Gemson, the chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society of New York and New Jersey.
The American Cancer Society recommends that colon cancer screenings begin at age 50, unless the person has other risk factors to take into consideration. “Missing the Message” found that, throughout New York State, only 53.6 percent of people were following the recommended screenings.
“Colon cancer is one of the few cancers that can be prevented through screening, and early detection greatly increases survival; we need to get screening rates up,” Gemson said. “In New York, the American Cancer Society has set an organizational goal of increasing screening rates for colon cancer to at least 65 percent by 2010, a reasonable goal if we’re going to make a measurable difference in the burden of colon cancer in New York City.”
In men and women, colon cancer is the third most common form of cancer. For 2007, it is estimated that the number of new cases of colon cancer being diagnosed will be 10,710, with approximately 3,350 New Yorkers dying of it.
For more information on “Missing the Message: A Report on Colon Cancer Detection in New York, 2007,” or to find out more about the American Cancer Society’s recommendations for colon cancer screenings, visit www.cancer.org. They can also be reached by calling 1-800-ACS-2345.