Franciscan St. Anthony Health – Michigan City is offering free, take-home colorectal screening kits during March, which is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the nation, but it doesn’t have to be. If everyone aged 50 or older had regular screenings, as many as 60 percent of deaths from this cancer could be avoided.
Beginning at age 50, both men and women at average risk for developing colorectal cancer should use one or more of the screening tests as noted. Individuals with a family history of colon cancer or other risk factors should discuss the appropriate age to begin screening with a physician.
Tests that find polyps and cancer:
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy – every 5 years*
- Colonoscopy – every 10 years
- Double contrast barium enema – every 5 years*
- CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) – every 5 years*
Tests that mainly find cancer***:
- Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) – every year*, **
- Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) – every year*, **
- Stool DNA test (sDNA), interval uncertain*
* Colonoscopy should be done if test results are positive
** For FOBT or FIT used as a screening test, the take-home muliple sample method should be used. An FOBT or FIT done during a digital rectal exam in the doctor’s office is not adequate for screening.
*** These tests are not meant as a replacement for the more extensive test that can find polyps and cancer.
Early Detection Save Lives!
Pick up your free take-home colorectal screening kit at the laboratory in one of the following locations:
- Chesterton Health & Emergency Center, 770 Indian Boundary Road, Chesterton
- Coolspring Health Center, 1225 E. Coolspring Avenue, Michigan City
- Woodland Cancer Care Center, 8955 West 400 North, Michigan City
Completed kits should be returned to laboratory at Franciscan St. Anthony Health – Michigan City using the provided envelope, by April 5, 2013.
Any questions or concerns, please call (219) 861-5807.
