by
Lee Nelson, Contributing Reporter | October 07, 2015
He added that if someone has a family history of colorectal cancer, there are a few things that need to happen.
“You need your risks carefully assessed and screened,” Doubeni says. “Those with two or more first degree relatives with the disease should continue to receive a colonoscopy more often until more evidence is available.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, colorectal cancer remains the second leading cancer killer among American men and women, with nearly 50,000 deaths annually. The center launched a campaign a few years ago declaring that if everyone aged 50 years or older had regular screening tests, at least 60 percent of deaths from this disease could be avoided.
It’s still tough to get people to get a colonoscopy, whether it's due to fear, lack of convenience, or price. For those patients, Doubeni says that the FIT test is a simple solution.
“You can get a lot more people screened. It’s very easy. I can mail the FIT to them at home. They don’t even have to come into an office to do it or get it,” Doubeni says.
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