Polyps Found During State's Top Physician's Colonoscopy
Increasing Awareness of Colorectal Cancer Prevention
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

DENVER-At a news conference Wednesday, Dr. Ned Calonge, the state's
chief medical officer with the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment shared his own experience of having a colonoscopy. As the
patient, Calonge joined doctors from Kaiser Permanente and members of
the Colorado Cancer Coalition to demonstrate the step-by-step process of
colonoscopy to promote a life-saving message: Colorectal cancer
screening prevents cancer and saves lives.

Dr. William Rector, a gastroenterologist at Kaiser Permanente who
performed the colonoscopy on Calonge earlier in the day, said, "Today
went very well. We found three tiny polyps and removed them during Dr.
Calonge's colonoscopy. They will be sent to a pathology lab for testing.
They don't appear to be anything to worry about, and most likely, Dr.
Calonge will not have to be screened for another ten years."

Calonge said, "Today was as easy as I hoped it would be. This procedure
is 20 minutes out of your life that can add years to your life. I feel
great about taking this important step in taking care of my health. As
shown today, screening for colorectal cancer saves lives by catching
precancerous polyps and removing them, which helps reduce the number of
colorectal deaths in Colorado."

Rector said that Dr. Calonge had his colonoscopy today at age 52 and
that he chose colonoscopy because of his age and health risk factors.

"Other screening tests also are available, and patients should talk
with their doctors about which screening test is best for them. All of
the options available are important weapons in the battle to beat
colorectal cancer," Rector said.

He explained a colonoscopy itself typically takes 15-30 minutes. The
procedure requires a mild sedation, so patients remain in a recovery
area until the effects of the medication have worn off. Patients are
required to have someone drive them home.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in
Colorado. Only 60 percent of Coloradans have had some form of screening
to detect the disease. If precancerous polyps are caught early,
colorectal cancer can be prevented. A number of screening options are
available including stool testing, flexible sigmoidoscopy and
colonoscopy. Patients should talk with their doctors about which
procedure is right for them.

Each year, more than 1,600 Coloradans will be diagnosed with colorectal
cancer, and nearly 10 percent will die. The disease affects women and
men, so both are encouraged to have their first screening at age 50.

Unfortunately, just over half of Coloradans who should, actually get
screened. Dr. Dennis Ahnen, staff physician at the Veterans Affairs
Medical Center and professor at the University of Colorado School of
Medicine said affordable new screening programs are now available
throughout Colorado.

Dr. Ahnen said, "Only one in four people without insurance get
screened. However, even for those with insurance, only half get these
life-saving procedures. As people age, we see the numbers of those
getting screened drop even more."

One new program for people without insurance is the Colorado Colorectal
Screening Program, coordinated by the University of Colorado
Comprehensive Cancer Center and funded through the Cancer,
Cardiovascular Disease and Pulmonary Disease Grants Program based at the
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The program, which
was established with revenue from the increase in the state's tobacco
tax, provides colorectal cancer screening services to medically
underserved, lawfully present Colorado residents. The program provides
endoscopic colorectal screening to Coloradans ages 50 and older, with
average risk, or under 50 at increased risk for colon cancer because of
a personal or family history. The program is based in community health
clinics across Colorado.

Supporting partners for this awareness project of the Colorado Cancer
Coalition include the Colorado Department of Public Health's
Comprehensive Cancer Program, University of Colorado at Denver and
Health Sciences Center, the American Cancer Society, Rose Medical Center
and 9Health Fair.

For more Information on colorectal cancer and screening locations
throughout Colorado, call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345
or online at www.cancer.org.

• Men tend to smoke and drink more than women and generally have less healthy lifestyles.
• Men do not seek medical help as often as women.
• Men tend to join in fearless, risky, dangerous behaviors more than women.
• Men also largely define themselves by their work, which adds to stress and to being disconnected from their emotional side. This can add to problems in relationships, as well as in jobs and careers.

Women also play an important role in the health care of their men through education and awareness. Many surveys have been done to see where people get their health information. For women, it's usually from their doctors, the television, the Internet, and printed materials. For men in these same surveys, wives, girlfriends, and/or mothers are the source of most of their health information.  The good news is that many of the major health risks that men face can be prevented and treated if they are diagnosed early. So you deserve to pay more attention to yourself! Take better care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Or if you are a woman searching for ways to help the men in your life, tell them the same. One way to start is to use the resources you'll find here.

http://www.menshealthweek.org/