Colorectal Cancer: Preventable. Treatable. Beatable.
Did you know…?
- Colorectal cancer screening saves lives and is one of only a few cancers that can be prevented through screening.
- Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States in both men and women.
- The risk of developing colorectal cancer increases with age and more than 90% of cases occur in people aged 50 or older.
- It is recommended for otherwise healthy men and women to have a colonoscopy at 50 years of age and every 10 years thereafter, at a minimum.
Colorectal Cancer Risk Factors
- People age 50 and older
- People who smoke
- People who are overweight or obese, especially those who carry fat around their waists
- People who aren’t physically active
- People who drink alcohol in excess, especially men
- People who eat a lot of red meat (such as beef, pork or lamb) or processed meat (such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs or cold cuts)
- People with personal or family histories of colorectal cancer or benign (not cancerous) colorectal polyps
- People with personal histories of inflammatory bowel disease (such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)
- People with family histories of inherited colorectal cancer or inherited colorectal problems