Nellis commemorates National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Published March 19, 2008 By Airman 1st Class Ryan Whitney Nellis AFB Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- The American Cancer Society has estimated that in 2008, more than 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed and 50,000 will die form colorectal cancer, better known as colon cancer, a disease that is largely preventable, treatable and beatable. In order to raise America's awareness of the third most common cause of cancer and cancer death, March has been deemed National Colorectal Cancer Month. The disease, which affects one in four people over the age of 50, has a 90 percent survivability rate when detected at an early stage. However, less than 40 percent of the cases are identified at this level. "People are often reluctant to undergo screening, worrying that the procedure is uncomfortable or unnecessary," said Capt. Paul Kartchner, 99th Medical Operations Group staff physician "The reality is that most tolerate the procedure surprisingly well and for a relatively small investment, an individual can buy years of peace of mind knowing that their likelihood of developing this particular cancer is slim to none. There are almost no other medical interventions that can make a similar claim." Individuals over the age of 50 should begin preventative screening as soon as possible, so that the disease can be caught in an early stage, when it is highly treatable and less likely to cause a major harm to the patient, said Captain Kartchner. According to the American Cancer Society, blacks and those with family history of colon cancer are diagnosed more frequently and have more deadly bouts with the disease. Smoking, poor diet and radiation exposure also increase the risk of colon cancer.
