According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women in the United States. Overall, rates have slowly declined in the last 10 years; however, cases in people under the age of 55 have gone up by 2% almost each year. One in 5 people who are diagnosed with colorectal cancer are under the age of 55, and the overall lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is about 1 in 23 for men and 1 in 25 for women. The five year survival rate for colorectal cancer is 90%+ when found in its early stages; however, this rate drops down to as low as 13% once the cancer has spread. This is why it is extremely important to follow screening recommendations.

Risk Factors

There are many risk factors that can increase your odds of getting colon cancer, such as family history/genetics, having a GI disease(s), poor diet, low exercise, history of alcohol abuse, and being African American, American Indian or an Alaskan native. Based on your personal risk factors, your primary care physician will pick a test that is right for you. If you do not have one, please make an appointment with one of our highly trained doctors using our Find a Doctor tool.

If you are experiencing any kind of rectal bleeding, please get in contact with and notify a physician right away.

Insurance

Prevention and screening services are typically covered by most insurance plans. Please check to confirm your specific benefits before scheduling your appointment.

Family History

If you have a family history of any type of cancer, be sure to tell your doctor or nurse. If any of your parents, siblings or children have had cancer, you may need to be screened earlier and more often. Your doctor will talk with you about your risk factors.

We’re here to help

Screening and early detection help us treat cancer at its earliest stages. If you are diagnosed with cancer, our compassionate team at Orlando Health Cancer Institute will talk through your diagnosis, answer your questions and work with you to come up with the best treatment plan.

Screening tests are not available for every type of cancer, but our Research and Clinical Trials Program investigates new methods of detection and early diagnosis, along with state-of-the-art treatment options. For more information, visit our clinical trials.

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