NEW YORK, N.Y.—The following information may be helpful to share with patients, especially in honor of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, which started March 1.
The information is courtesy of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, which is based in New York City. It's the nation's largest not-for-profit, non-sectarian hospital, with 2,409 beds. The Hospital has academic affiliations with two of the nation's leading medical colleges: Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
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Colorectal cancer is the No. 2 cancer killer in the United States, but is often preventable and highly curable.
"It's important for people to understand that, with proper screening, colon cancer can not only be detected early, but often can be prevented from developing," said Dr. Felice Schnoll-Sussman, a gastroenterologist and acting director of The Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Dr. Benjamin Lebwohl, a gastroenterologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, added, "Despite the availability of effective screening tests, approximately one-third of Americans are not getting screened for colorectal cancer according to national recommendations."
Drs. Schnoll-Sussman and Lebwohl provide five facts that everyone should know to help reduce their risk of colon cancer.
