Americans Still Not Getting Colorectal Cancer Exams

Men and women age 50 and over are urged to get tests that screen for colorectal cancer but only about half of them have done so as of 2005.  Testing has proven to be highly effective in reducing the number of deaths attributed to this widespread form of cancer and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would like to see many more Americans of this age group getting screened.  Only lung cancer kills more Americans that colorectal cancer does. Read more

Virtual Biopsy Detects Colon Cancer, Minimizes Need for Surgery

Researchers at the Jacksonville, Florida, Mayo Clinic have developed a new device for use in colonoscopies that is so incredibly powerful it can zero in on just one blood cell moving through a single blood vessel, in real time.  And, in almost every case, the device made it possible for doctors to determine, during the course of the colonoscopy and without surgery, if any polyps found were benign, meaning OK to leave in place, or cancerous, meaning they need immediate surgical removal. Read more

Blacks at Highest Risk but Undergo Fewest Colonoscopies

The African-American population has the highest risk of developing and dying from colorectal cancer and yet they are the least likely ethnic group to undergo a life-saving colonoscopy screening. This is the finding from a new study led by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Read more

New Screening Guidelines for Colorectal Cancer

New guidelines for colorectal cancer screening have been released. The first joint consensus recommendations of its kind have been accepted by several medical organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the American College of Radiology, and the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer, which includes members from the American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Read more

Less Red Meat Means Less Colorectal Cancer Risk

It’s Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. March is National Nutrition Month, too. Nutritionists at MD Anderson Cancer Center consider this a perfect time to suggest a new, healthier, approach to meal planning. Read more

Colon Cancer Associated with Non-Polypoid Lesions

Non-polypoid colorectal neoplasms (NP-CRNs) may be linked to a higher risk of colon cancer than the more commonly sought after colorectal polyps. Current cancer screening focuses mainly on identification of polypoid growths, however recent evidence suggests that flat NP-CRNs may develop cancer as well. Read more