Screening can prevent killer from taking toll When many people
think about cancer, they think about lung cancer and breast
cancer. And many can explain that not smoking generally prevents
lung cancer and that regular exams can help catch breast cancer
early when it can be treated with a high rate of survival.
However, they tend to forget that the second most commonly
diagnosed cancer in the United States is colorectal cancer.
Colorectal cancer is cancer of the colon or rectum. Estimates by
the U.S. Center for Disease Control suggest that over 56,000
Americans will die from colorectal cancer this year, and that
147,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The
CDC suggests regular screenings to help reduce that number. In a
2002 survey of adults more than 50 years old, less than 50
percent of respondents in Utah had been screened over a 10-year
period. There are four tests available which can increase early
detection and treatment. The first is the fecal occult blood
test or FOBT, which samples t