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New report says colon cancer testing saves lives

Category: Colon

Increasing the number of people who receive colon cancer testing could drastically reduce the number of deaths from the disease each year, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society.

While there has been significant progress in limiting the number of people affected by the disease, the report indicates that much more could be done to protect people from colon cancer. It estimates that up to 50 percent of people over age 50 do not receive regular colon cancer testing, which puts them at an elevated risk for the disease.

This also makes it more difficult for doctors to diagnose the condition in its early stages when it is most treatable. When colon cancer is allowed to progress to an advanced stage, it is much more deadly.

"The value of early detection has become a topic of wide debate for some cancers," said Edward Partridge, president of the American Cancer Society. "But for colorectal cancer there should be no debate: screening for colon cancer saves lives. The American Cancer Society has identified colorectal cancer as a major priority because of the enormous potential to prevent the disease."