March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

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The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) is making experts available to discuss risk factors, treatment and prevention options surrounding colorectal cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 143,000 new cases of the disease were diagnosed in the United States last year with about 4,430 new cases in New Jersey. Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the nation and is the third leading cause of cancer death among both men and women.

While the exact cause of most colorectal cancers is not known, risk factors include poor diet, lack of exercise, and having polyps in the colon or rectum areas. Those over age 50 also are at increased risk. Beginning at age 50, it is recommended that both men and women undergo periodic colonoscopies, fecal occult blood tests and/or other screenings that can detect colorectal cancer. Earlier testing is recommended for people with increased risk, such as those with a family history of the disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if everyone aged 50 or older were screened regularly, as many as 60 percent of deaths from this cancer could be avoided.

Some signs of colorectal cancer include:
• Bleeding from your rectum.
• Blood in the stool or toilet after you have a bowel movement.
• A change in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation, or narrowing of the stool, that lasts for more than a few days.
• Cramping pain in your lower stomach.

Studies show that colorectal cancer may be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, keeping physically active and limiting the use of alcoholic beverages.

CINJ experts available for comment include:

David A. August, MD, is the chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at CINJ and a professor of surgery at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. August is also the director of CINJ’s Gastrointestinal/Hepatobiliary Oncology Program, which is a multidisciplinary clinical and scientific program that provides comprehensive services to patients with pre-cancerous and cancerous conditions involving gastrointestinal organs, including the colon and rectum. He can discuss the importance of patients having a comprehensive evaluation under one roof with a close collaboration of multiple specialists including surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, gastroenterologists, nurses, pharmacists, social workers and other experts.

Rebecca Moss, MD, is a medical oncologist at CINJ and an assistant professor of medicine at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, who has an interest in gastrointestinal malignancies. Dr. Moss has engaged in research involving chemotherapy and other treatment regimens involving various tumor sites in the gastrointestinal tract including novel therapeutics for colorectal cancer.

Elizabeth Poplin, MD, is a medical oncologist at CINJ and a professor of medicine at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Poplin has expertise in the management of gastrointestinal malignancies including standard and novel treatment options for cancers of the colon and rectum. She can discuss the latest in cancer research studies involving these tumor sites.

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Source: Cancer Institute of New Jersey

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