March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, St. Elizabeth Hospital Partner to Offer Free Screening At New Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Gonzales
(Gonzales) - March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month: the type of cancer people are often too embarrassed to talk about. Colorectal cancer, or cancer of the colon or rectum, is the third most common cancer killer in men and women.
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and St. Elizabeth Hospital are partnering to change that.
There will be a free colon cancer screening on Saturday, March 14, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the new Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Gonzales, 1104 West Highway 30, across the street from St. Elizabeth Hospital. Staff members from both Mary Bird Perkins and St. Elizabeth will be distributing free take-home kits that test for occult, or hidden, blood in the stool. Because colorectal cancer starts with benign polyps that often bleed, the FOBT (fecal occult blood test) checks for the presence of hidden blood. Colorectal cancer usually causes no symptoms in its early stages, making screening vitally important. If you are seeing bright red blood with your bowel movements, you should go directly to your doctor.
The primary risk factor for colorectal cancer is age. More than 90% of cases are diagnosed in individuals older than 50. Fifty is the recommended age to begin colorectal cancer screening, unless there is a family history, in which case you should start earlier. Check with your family doctor for the most appropriate screening option for your age and medical history.
The take-home kit, which must be picked up by the user, is not a substitute for a colonoscopy but is just one form of colorectal cancer screening. The gold standard for colorectal cancer screening is the colonoscopy. No appointment is required to participate in this screening.
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has been fighting cancer for over 35 years with locations in Baton Rouge, Covington, Hammond, Houma and Gonzales. It has comprehensive cancer programs with Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge and St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington. These programs are accredited by the American College of Surgeons' the gold standard for community-based cancer care. For more information visit www.marybird.org.
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