Preventing Colorectal Cancer (PCC) has released the first issue brief in a new series designed to highlight the challenges and opportunities that exist with increasing the screening rates for colorectal cancer (CRC) in the United States.  Titled, Colonoscopies Prevent Colon Cancer, the first brief provides an overview of CRC, why colonoscopies should be considered the “gold standard” in prevention, and why all Americans should be screened.

PCC launched the series in an effort to educate key stakeholders to the importance of increasing screening rates among the population.  For example, new options for screening are gaining attention, such as Hemoccult fecal blood tests and high sensitivity immunochemical tests (FIT).  Issue Brief #1 addresses misconceptions and truths regarding these options while supporting PCC’s belief that a cancer prevented is always preferable to a cancer caught.

Future briefs will highlight effective strategies for increasing screening guideline adherence, the lack of transparency in regards to the true cost of colonoscopy screenings, access issues, and the impact of healthcare reform.

“A cancer prevented is better than a cancer cured,” says PCC Executive Director Randall H. Madry. “The opportunity to remove polyps before they become cancerous exists when patients receive the ‘gold standard’ screening, colonoscopy.  Other screening options find polyps after they’ve become cancerous or identify polyps without simultaneously removing them.”

PCC hopes the new series will save lives by providing the information and guidance needed to educate the public, policy makers and other key stakeholders regarding the obstacles to screening that many patients face.

The full series of briefs will cover the following:

• Screening as a prevention technique
• Sedation options
• Why the issue of transparency in medical pricing matters so much to CRC screening
• Safety concerns
• Summarizing the impact of healthcare reform and insurance changes
• Sustaining and improving screening rates

Those interested may visit www.preventingcolorectalcancer.org  to sign up to receive the issue briefs as they become available via email.  The website also contains other valuable resources and information on CRC and prevention efforts.

*****

About Preventing Colorectal Cancer (www.preventingcolorectalcancer.org)

Headquartered in Annapolis, MD, Preventing Colorectal Cancer (PCC) preserves the tradition of safe, comfortable and quality-based medicine. PCC is a not-for-profit 501(c) 6 advocacy organization with the primary mission to educate both public and private stakeholders about the opportunities to reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer through promoting effective screening, prevention and care options for patients. Membership is open to all individuals and groups.