YOU SHOULD KNOW

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Colonoscopies can save lives by detecting cancer at an early stage. But many people who should be getting screened are not. Here are some common myths about the disease and the real facts.

Myth: "It's a man's disease."
Fact: It's the third most common cause of cancer death in both sexes.

Myth: "It's not treatable."
Fact: Those diagnosed early have a 90% five-year survival rate.

Myth: "I can't protect myself."
Fact: Starting at age 50 (earlier if you have a family history), get a colonoscopy, which detects pre-cancerous polyps.

Myth: "No symptoms mean no problems."
Fact: Colon cancer can grow for years without causing symptoms. Get screened, even if you feel healthy.

Myth: "Screenings are useless."
Fact: Now that colonoscopies are more widely available, the number of people getting the disease has dropped 27%, and mortality rates have gone down 36% since the 1980s.