March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s something that could save a life in your family.
Colorectal cancer is the third leading common cause of cancer in the United States, and the second leading cancer-related death, explained Dr. Anthony Williams with DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital. There are 147,000 new diagnoses per year, he added.
The average age of diagnosis is 54 to 60 years old. However, Dr. Williams pointed out that since 2014, there’s been an increase in patients age 45 to 50 who have been diagnosed with this type of cancer.
Risk factors for colorectal cancer include age, family history of colorectal cancer and obesity. Some factors that you can control are staying physically active, having a high fiber, low-fat diet, avoiding processed food and not smoking.
Early detection of colorectal cancer is key. Dr. Williams explained that it takes about 30 to 45 minutes for a colonoscopy, which is a procedure that’s able to detect any abnormalities. He said with early detection a patient can have a 5-year, 90% survival rate.
Watch the video above to learn more information about colorectal cancer awareness.