Speaker: Amit Shah, Gastroenterologist

Colon cancer isn’t most people’s favorite thing to talk about, but it is a disease that is treatable when it’s caught early.Beginning at age 50, men and women should have a yearly rectal exam and a simple test to look for blood in the stool. Also starting at age 50, men and women should have a colonoscopy at least every 10 years. People who are at a higher risk for colon cancer may be screened before they turn 50.During a colonoscopy, a physician looks for and removes precancerous polyps so they do not become cancer. This safe and painless process is the best way to prevent colon cancer or detect it in its earliest stages.This March, in honor of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Centegra Health System will offer free take-home stool screening kits. To find out when and where you can pick up a free kit, call 877.CENTEGRA or visit centegra.org.When it comes to colon cancer, we say find it, treat it, beat it. Now is the time to get checked and schedule your colonoscopy.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.