National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Colorectal cancer is cancer that occurs in the colon or rectum, and though it is one of the leading causes of cancer death in the United States many medical experts across the country will tell you that it doesn’t have to be. Looking at estimates from the American Cancer Society , we can grasp the scope of the issue facing men and women in the U.S. in 2024:

• About 106,590 new cases of colon cancer (54,210 in men and 52,380 in women)
• About 46,220 new cases of rectal cancer (27,330 in men and 18,890 in women)

Source: American Cancer Society

While increased screenings and lifestyle changes are credited with a drop in the overall rate of individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer since the mid-1980s, the rate of individuals younger than 55 years of age has steadily increased by 1–2% every year since the mid-1990s. Looking at the population as a whole, the lifetime risk for developing colorectal cancer is about 1 in 23 for men and 1 in 25 for women.

Screenings for colorectal cancer can detect precancerous polyps—abnormal growths in the colon or rectum—that can be surgically removed before they turn into cancer. Even when colorectal cancer is found in its early stages, survival rates are at about 90% five years after detection when proper treatment is undertaken. From my experience, in the past 10–15 years there have been significant advances in care for colorectal cancer that is discovered early. Individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer have greatly benefited from improved methods of early detection, and advances in chemotherapy with new surgery methods, significantly changing outcomes in recent years.

Along with significant innovation in the technology that detects and treats colorectal cancer, the healthcare system in the United States has also made progress in providing pathways to better health outcomes. Managed care organizations have led the way in promotion of early detection as well as in providing access to state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment through specialized networks of experts in cancer care. Furthermore, managed care organizations are studying sub-populations to understand and remove barriers to cancer care such as fear of procedures. The synthesizing of cultural competency and data analytics is partly responsible for this.

At Healthfirst, teams leveraging advanced analytics have identified those at risk for colorectal and other cancers, informing the members on how to obtain screening and, if needed, aligning the members with participating physicians and health facilities to confirm the diagnosis and start treatment.

I encourage individuals 45 years or older to think about getting screened as soon as possible. If you think you may be at increased risk for colorectal cancer, speak with your doctor about when to begin screening, which test is right for you, and how often to get tested.

About the Author

Deborah Hammond, MD is Vice President, Executive Medical Director at Healthfirst.