LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Ohio Valley has a higher rate of colon cancer per capita than anywhere else in the U.S., according to UofL Health.
UofL said the importance of colon cancer screenings, and catching the disease early, cannot be understated.
The CDC states that colon cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths.
In Kentucky, it's the second leading cause of cancer death when rates for men and women are combined.
Even though it is one of the more fatal cancers, UofL Health said colon cancer is actually one of the most treatable cancers. It’s the reason why they say screenings are important and if colon cancer is caught early, the odds of survival are far greater.
“When treatment is undertaken with colon cancer it can be curative and it can be radically curative. When caught in time either on a screening exam or some other form of diagnostic test it can be one of the highest cure rates of any form of cancer out there,” Dr. Russell Farmer, associate professor of colon and rectal surgery, said.
Traditionally, colon cancer affected people who were in their late middle ages and older, but now UofL Health said they have seen a significant shift with cancer now being seen in younger age groups.
UofL Health said that if you are older than 45, they recommend you get a colonoscopy as soon as possible.
To learn more about colorectal cancer, click here.
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