Written by: Shona Wilson
Did you know that more than 75,000 men were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2019? Black, White, Hispanic, Asian and Pacific Islander, or American Indian, the disease does not discriminate, but with frequent screening, early detection and treatment are possible.
This week is Men’s Health Week, and Brunet-García (B|G) is proud to be working with the CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control to encourage people 45 years and older to get screened and to inform them about their screening options.
Created as part of the Screen for Life campaign, You’ve Got Guts highlights the life-saving importance of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Reminding people that your health shouldn’t take a backseat and it takes guts to put your health first.
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers – the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States – and oftentimes, there are no symptoms–making our work with Screen for Life so important. Routine screening can save lives. In fact, about 90% of people live 5 or more years when their colorectal cancer is found through early testing. In fact, the most effective way to reduce your risk for colorectal cancer is regular screening beginning at age 45.
There are many misconceptions about colorectal cancer screening, so a key part of our effort is informing people about their screening options, and eradicating long-held misconceptions. For example, many people believe a colonoscopy is the only way to screen for CRC. In reality, there are many ways to get tested for colorectal cancer, such as a stool test, CT colonography, or flexible sigmoidoscopy, and you can learn about them all by talking to your doctor.
B|G is excited to add cancer prevention and screening to our public health portfolio and is devoted to raising awareness, advancing colorectal cancer screening, and reducing death rates.