LEONARDTOWN, MD (March 19, 2013) – March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and the St. Mary’s County Health Department wants to remind residents to get screened. Next to lung cancer, colorectal cancer claims the lives of more Maryland residents than any other form of cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that during 2012, there were 2,420 new cancer cases and 940 deaths due to colorectal cancer in Maryland. Early screening is the most valuable form of protection against colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer caught in its early stages is 90% treatable and curable.
The major risk factor for colorectal cancer is age. Most colorectal cancers are found in people age 50 years or over; therefore, it is recommended that everyone get screened at age 50. However, if you have symptoms or high risk factors, you may need to be screened before age 50. Symptoms of colorectal cancer include: blood in the stool or toilet, stomach pain that doesn’t go away, gas pain that doesn’t go away, unexplained weight loss, feeling tired all the time, and a change in bowel habits. A person may have a pre-cancerous polyp or a cancer and have absolutely no symptoms at all. Often times, if a person waits until they have symptoms, the cancer has advanced, making treatment much more challenging and difficult. A screening colonoscopy is the best way to tell if a polyp or cancer is in the colon.
With funding made available through the Maryland Cigarette Restitution Fund, the St. Mary’s County Health Department is able to provide FREE screening colonoscopies via participating physicians in our area. In order to be eligible for this free service, financial and residential requirements of the grant must be met. You must also be age 50 or older, or under age 50 and have symptoms of colorectal cancer or have high risk factors such as a family history of colorectal cancer or pre-cancerous polyps. In addition, if you have a history of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s colitis or have had cancer of the ovary or uterus before age 50, you may be eligible for the free screening.
Don’t put off this preventive routine screening! If you think you fit the eligibility requirements, please call the St. Mary’s County Health Department at 301-475-4318 to discuss the possibility of obtaining a free colonoscopy. For more information on colorectal cancer, please visit the American Cancer Society’s website at http://www.cancer.org/
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Media Contact
Meena Brewster, MD, MPH
301-475-4330
smchd.healthdept@maryland.gov