In February of 2000, President Clinton officially dedicated March as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Over the last two decades, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month has become a rallying point for the colorectal cancer community. It’s a month that’s near and dear to our hearts, and one that provides a great platform for educating our patients and others about the severity of colorectal cancer. Here is what it is all about.
Countrywide, awareness efforts about colorectal cancer have yielded positive results. Every year the mortality rate decreases and early detection continues to grow. Yet, this favorable news only applies to cases where patients are over the age of 50, i.e. “regular-onset colorectal cancer”. In contrast, the rate of young-onset colorectal cancer is on the rise. Currently, 11% of colon cancer diagnoses and 18% of rectal cancer diagnoses occur in people younger than 50.
