Half of over 50s not tested for colorectal cancer
15 years, 9 months ago
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Posted on Jul 14, 2008, 8 p.m.
By Jeanelle Topping
It is estimated that only half of adults aged 50 and over in the US are screened for colorectal cancer as recommended, according to a new report.
It is estimated that only half of adults aged 50 and over in the US are screened for colorectal cancer as recommended, according to a new report.
A survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and published by the American Association for Cancer Research discovered that only half of men and women nationwide received screening in 2005.
Epidemiologist at the CDC, Dr Jean A Shapiro said: "Colorectal cancer is one of the leading cancer killers in the US, behind only lung cancer. Screening has been shown to significantly reduce mortality from colorectal cancer, but a lot of people are still not getting screened."
The research found that approximately 20 per cent of those who failed to receive the screening test said their "doctor did not order it".
Statistics show that colorectal cancer is the cause of 655,000 deaths worldwide each year, making it the second biggest cause of cancer-related death in the Western world.
