Doctors Urged to Raise Colorectal Cancer Screening With More Patients

The Cancer Research Foundation of America is urging health care providers to raise the issue of colorectal cancer screening with their patients during the month of March, which is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

The foundation said a survey showed that more than 90 percent of people would get screened for colorectal cancer if their health care provider advised them to do so, but only about half of Americans aged 50 and older were advised to get a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy.

"Colorectal cancer is a preventable disease, but we are missing an opportunity because thousands of people who should be getting screened are not. Clearly, health care providers need to recommend screening for colorectal cancer, and patients need to ask about it," said Dr. Bernard Levin of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Other Sources: Cancer Research Foundation of America