With the arrival of March, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, faculty and staff within the Department of Internal Medicine’s Section of Digestive Diseases are redoubling their efforts to spread the word concerning the importance of screening, especially in younger individuals and people with a family history of the disease.

Colorectal cancer is the second most typical reason behind cancer death in the USA. Still, many individuals are unaware of the role screening plays in reducing their risk of developing the disease.

“Caught early, this cancer has a wonderful prognosis, and screening has been shown to diminish incidence and mortality,” said Xavier Llor, MD, PhD, professor of drugs (digestive diseases), Yale School of Medicine; medical director of the Cancer Screening and Prevention Program and Colorectal Cancer Prevention Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center.

Despite the continued overall decline of colorectal cancer, recent statistics are worrisome, Llor said. In response to the newest report from the American Cancer Society, the proportion of cases amongst those younger than 55 has increased and the progress against colorectal cancer as a complete has slowed.

Llor recommends that health care providers start the discussion with patients by age 40, to extend the probabilities that they may get screened by 45. Individuals with a parent, sibling, or child who had colorectal cancer should start screening earlier, at age 40, he said.

It takes time and repeated reminders for many individuals to finally have a colorectal cancer screening done. If we promote awareness together, with the assistance of general practitioners, we are able to make a difference.”

Xavier Llor, MD, PhD, professor of drugs (digestive diseases), Yale School of Medicine