As of April 4, 392 colorectal cancer screening kits were mailed out to participants during Community Hospital’s Colorectal Health Check 2003, March 3-10, according to program directors, Jan Fidler, Vice President Patient Care Services and Barb Bortner, Community Resources Coordinator. The Colorectal Health Check provided interested individuals, aged 50 and older, with a free screening test kit that helps screen for early signs of cancer of the colon, Fidler said. Cancer of the colon can be fatal, but the chances for recovery improve dramatically if the disease is detected in its early stages.

The directors report that 201 kits have been returned so far for a return rate of 51 percent. Participants are urged to return their kits as soon as possible, they said.

So far, according to Fidler, 9 positive tests, or 4 percent of the returned kits, have been reported. A positive test shows that blood was found in the stool. This indicates there is a source of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. Although most sources of bleeding are not cancerous, patients with positive test results are referred to their local physician for further testing, she said.

The incidence of colorectal cancer tends to increase with age, starting at 50 years. More than 94 percent of all cases occur after the age of 50. With this in mind, Colorectal Health Check was geared toward people age 50 and older, or for those with a history of colon cancer in their family.

Colorectal cancer—or cancer of the colon or rectum—is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that 56,600 Americans will die of colorectal cancer this year. Colorectal cancer is also one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States; approximately 147,500 new cases will be diagnosed in 2003. For men, colorectal cancer follows skin, prostate, and lung cancers in frequency; for women, it follows skin, breast, and lung cancers.

Colon and rectal cancers are considered slow growing, Fidler said. When they are found and treated in an early, localized stage, the survival rate is very good, she said. The five-year survival rate is 90 percent for colon cancer and 80 percent for rectal cancer. Many studies show that screening reduces mortality from colorectal cancer.

For more questions about the Colorectal Health Check, call Community Hospital of McCook at 308-345-8550 or 308-345-8255. Statistics on the return rates and results will be updated on Community Hospital’s Web site at www.chmccook.org by clicking on “Colorectal Screening.”