NIH State-of-the-Science Conference: Enhancing Use and Quality of Colorectal Cancer Screening
Since the start of the New Year, Spectrum has attended several events focused on colorectal cancer, the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. On January 28, Olympus and C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition brought together many of the nation's preeminent colorectal cancer experts for "The State of Colorectal Cancer Screening and Prevention Forum" to discuss the importance of colorectal cancer screening. The message delivered from each of the panel members, who ranged in background from MDs and PhDs to legislative and advocacy experts, was clear - screening for this disease saves lives.
F. Mark Gumz, President and CEO of Olympus, noted that "We have the technology and expertise today to effectively prevent and treat CRC, but unfortunately, there are still close to 150,000 new cases and 50,000 deaths annually from this disease." Laura Seeff, MD, who manages the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Screen for Life Awareness Campaign, reported that "If everyone aged 50 years or older were screened regularly, as many as 60 percent of deaths from this cancer could be avoided." (more...)
