Having A Colon Cancer Screening Can Save Your Life

It's sometimes hard to realize, but there are many great reasons why Buffalo and Western New York are among the best places to live in the nation.

We all know about our sports teams, like the Bills and Bandits (not you, Sabres), the architecture, and, of course, the food, all of which are exceptional reasons to live in the 716. However, there is another great reason why the 716 is a great place to call home, especially if you need medical treatment.

Western New York is home to several high-quality hospital systems, which many communities nationwide cannot say. The medical infrastructure in the Buffalo area routinely ranks among the best in the nation, with tons of options to choose from. You're not limited to just one place when you have excellent medical facilities like Kaleida, ECMC, Catholic Health, and Roswell Park, all top-level treatment options.

Having A Colon Cancer Screening Can Save Your Life

This is even more true when it comes to cancer screening and treatment. You don’t need to go far to find many free and low-cost cancer screening programs that the various medical systems have to offer. This is extremely important to know because a growing percentage of the population in America is being diagnosed with cancer, especially when it comes to this one form of cancer.

According to the World Cancer Research Fund, 1 in 23 men and 1 in 26 women in the United States will receive a colon cancer or rectal cancer diagnosis during their life. That amounts to more than 4% of the population, and those numbers are even higher for Blacks and African Americans, who are more than 20% more likely to develop colon cancer and as much as 40% more likely to die from it when compared to white Americans.

Getting screened for these cancers is essential, as most of them can be cured when found early. As a colon cancer survivor, I seriously urge you to get screened. And since March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, here are a few reasons why I think you should do it right now:

• Early detection can save your life: According to the American Cancer Society, the survival rates are astronomical when the cancer is caught early. Having a colonoscopy is quick and easy to get checked.
• Colon Cancer is very common: With more than 160,000 people being diagnosed with this cancer in 2023, it's one of the most common cancers. This also means there are many more opportunities for you to be treated and cured of it if you are diagnosed.
• You can stop Colon Cancer before it starts: Nearly all colon cancers start as precancerous polyps, which can be quickly found and removed when you have a colonoscopy. If you get rid of them before they turn to cancer, you’re good to go.
• Colon Cancer doesn’t make a lot of noise: That is until it’s too late. Most colon cancers don’t have any symptoms or major risk factors until it’s advanced. You don’t often know about it until it's nearly too late.
• Localized cancer is easy to treat: If cancer does develop, finding it before it spreads means you can treat it with procedures that can give you a better quality of life over time. Not having chemotherapy can mean a longer and better life for you.

If you’re an adult aged 45 or older, or if you have a family history of colorectal cancers, please get screened today. However, you don't need to take my word for it.

Recently, I talked with Dr. Steven Nurkin, the Chief of Colorectal Surgery at Roswell Park, and we talked about several things related to Colorectal Cancer. You can listen to parts of our conversation below:

What Is Colorectal Cancer and What Happens?

Who Should Be Screened For Colorectal Cancer, and When Should The Screening Happen?

How Important Is It To Know Your Body Symptoms?

What's The Process To Get A Coloscopy?

If I Want To Be Screened, What Do I Do Next?

Let me know if you need someone to go with you to your screening, and I’ll be there.