Farmington Hills, MI (March 22, 2007)--- March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the time of year when health care professionals work to raise awareness of the disease and emphasize the importance of early detection through screenings. Colorectal cancer is the cancer of the colon and/or rectum and is the third most common cancer in both men and women. It is also one of the most preventable cancers because it can develop from polyps that can be removed before they become cancerous.
Colorectal cancer usually starts as a small polyp growing on the inside of the colon or rectum. Michael Biederman, D.O., a Botsford Hospital Gastroenterologist, says, “Most polyps never become cancer, but if you find them and remove them, you significantly reduce the risk of it becoming colon cancer. Everyone should have a colonoscopy when they are 50, as this is when the cancer usually starts to show up.”
In addition to people age 50 and older, the following people are also at risk for colorectal cancer: Individuals with a personal or family history of colorectal cancer, colorectal polyps, inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease); people who use tobacco; or people who are obese and are sedentary.
Dr. Biederman offers the following prevention tips:
If you would like to find a Botsford doctor, please contact Botsford’s HealthMatch at (877) 442-7900.
Botsford Hospital, an independent, acute care, 330-bed community hospital in Farmington Hills, Mich., was founded in 1965. Nationally recognized for quality, safety and medical education programs, Botsford has received the 2005 Solucient 100 Top Hospitals: Performance Improvement Leaders award and the 2005 Governor’s Award of Excellence for Improving Care in the Hospital and Emergency Department Settings. Botsford’s Web address is www.botsford.org.
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