Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, St. Tammany Parish Hospital to Offer Free Screening at Covington Wal-Mart
MARCH IS NATIONAL COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
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(Covington) – 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. Tammany Parish Hospital are partnering to change that.
On Friday, March 7, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Covington Wal-Mart, 880 N. Hwy 190, staff members from both Mary Bird Perkins and St. Tammany Parish Hospital 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.