Submitted by Becky Powell MS, RN, AOCN Health Educator at the Community Cancer Center
Have you heard of the 80 percent by 2018 initiative? Chances are, probably not. The National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable created the “80 percent by 2018” initiative to rally organizations across the country to help eliminate colorectal cancer as a major public health problem with the shared goal of 80 percent of adults aged 50 and older getting screened for colorectal cancer by 2018.
Why the focus on colon cancer? Colorectal cancer is a major public health problem, yet it’s one of the most preventable. It is the third leading cause of cancer death in men and women in the U.S. with approximately 140,000 adults diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year. When adults get screened for colon cancer, it can either be detected early at a stage when treatment is most likely to be successful or possibly prevented through the detection and removal of precancerous polyps.
Screening for colon cancer can only save lives if it is done. The concern is that approximately one in three adults between 50 and 75 are not getting tested as recommended. According to the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, the people less likely to get tested are Hispanics, Native Americans or Alaska Natives, rural populations, men, those 50 to 64, and those with lower education and income.
What many people do not know or understand is that early-developing colon cancer or colon polyps often cause no symptoms, which is why screening is so important. Screening can detect a problem you did not know you even had. Symptoms of colon cancer include things such as blood in the stool, rectal bleeding, a change in bowel habits, narrowing of the stool, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, anemia, or constipation that lasts for more than a few days.
So, what can you do? If you are 50 or older and have not been screened for colon cancer, talk to your doctor about what your options are. A colonoscopy, a test where a lighted tube is inserted into the colon to look for abnormalities, is the preferred screening method, but there are other screening options available. Those include stool tests called a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or a fecal immunochemical test (FIT). Both these tests are looking for blood in the stool that could indicate a possible problem and that further testing is necessary. Medicare, as well as most private insurance plans, is now required to pay for colon cancer screening with limited to zero out-of-pocket cost. However, it is important to check your health plan for details on your specific coverage.
Locally, data from the State Cancer Profiles shows that in McLean County 71.1 percent of the people 50 years of age and older have had some type of colorectal cancer screening test completed. This is a good start but there is work to be done. The Community Cancer Center, Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, and the Digestive Disease Endoscopy Center have all joined forces with the American Cancer Society and signed the 80 percent by 2018 pledge to help improve the colon cancer screening rate in our community and embrace the goal of reaching 80 percent screened for colorectal cancer by 2018.
The Community Cancer Center offers a variety of supportive and educational groups and programs, free of charge, to help patients and families cope with cancer and its effects. For more information go to our website at www.cancercenter.org.