Local Leaders in Cancer Care Offer Free Colorectal Cancer Screening
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
(Covington, LA)- March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month: the type of cancer people are often too embarrassed to talk about. Colorectal cancer, or cancer of the colon or rectum, is the third most common cancer killer in men and women. Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center (MBP) in Covington and St. Tammany Parish Hospital (STPH) are partnering to change that.
There will be a free colon cancer screening on Wednesday, March 3, from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the STPH cafeteria entrance, 1202 South Tyler Street, Covington. Staff members from both STPH and MBP will be distributing free take-home kits that test for occult, or hidden, blood in the stool. Because colorectal cancer starts with benign polyps that often bleed, the FOBT (fecal occult blood test) checks for the presence of hidden blood. Colorectal cancer usually causes no symptoms in its early stages, making screening vitally important. If you are seeing bright red blood with your bowel movements, you should go directly to your doctor.
The primary risk factor for colorectal cancer is age. More than 90 percent of cases are diagnosed in individuals older than 50. Fifty is the recommended age to begin colorectal cancer screening, unless there is a family history, in which case you should start earlier. Check with your family doctor for the most appropriate screening option for your age and medical history.
The take-home kit, which must be picked up by the user, is not a substitute for a colonoscopy but is just one form of colorectal cancer screening. The gold standard for colorectal cancer screening is the colonoscopy.
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Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has been fighting cancer for over 35 years with locations in Baton Rouge, Covington, Hammond, Houma and Gonzales. It has comprehensive cancer programs with Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge and St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington. These programs are accredited by the American College of Surgeons - the gold standard for community-based cancer care. For more information visit www.marybird.org.
A full-service acute care facility committed to providing world-class healthcare and the latest technology, St. Tammany Parish Hospital delivers today's life-improving procedures with the utmost care to area residents with emphasis on wellness, preventive care and disease management close to home. STPH is a self-supporting not-for-profit community hospital; it receives no tax funding. www.stph.org.