Free Colorectal Cancer Screening Kits Available | News, Sports, Work

Bazetta — If possible, make an appointment for a colonoscopy. At the very least, you can take advantage of the Steward Medical Group’s free colorectal cancer screening kit, which is conducted in your home privacy.

The goal is the same — to prevent the second most deadly cancer in the state from claiming another victim.

According to the Ohio Department of Health, 26.5% of all Ohio cancer deaths are lung and bronchial cancer, followed by 8.7% of colon and rectal cancer.

“The best tests are those that people receive,” gastroenterologist Dr. Amy Calderon said at the Elm Road Radiology Steward Center. “If you ask us, the best test is colonoscopy because it’s both diagnostic and therapeutic, because if you find something, you can do something about it. If you have polyps, they will be taken out immediately. “

However, too many people do not plan colonoscopy for any reason, such as hospital fear, inconvenience, inconvenience, or other excuses, said Gastroenterologist Dr. Meredith McNally. rice field.

“People say,’I won’t do that because you might find something.’ That’s the point … it’s preventable and curable,” McNally said. .. “If you find something, you can treat it and the survival rate is much better, 90% vs. 11 or 14%.

“There are many lives to live in and the survival rate is very good. Why seize the opportunity? I think it’s easy,” she said.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and the Steward Radiation Oncology and Testing Services site offers home screening kits for free testing.

“The kit is basically created as a warning signal,” said Luana L. Andamasalis (RN), oncology coordinator at the Trumble Community Medical Center. “They collect blood that indicates cancer.”

Bloody stools may also indicate the presence of precancerous polyps, which are abnormal growth of tissue. The lab can also check for changes in DNA cells that are associated with cancer.

Home tests are less painful, private, and less invasive than colonoscopy. But “there is no fun screening,” said Anda Masaris.

Colonoscopy is recommended for most people every 10 years, but from the age of 45, as an additional step, you can have an annual home exam during that time.

Colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer occurs when cells in the colon or rectum grow into abnormal growth called polyps. Over time, polyps can become cancerous.

Colorectal cancer is also called colon cancer for short, but the colon and rectum are connected but different. The colon is the large intestine. The rectum connects the colon and anus.

Ideally, polyps are found and removed before they become cancerous or, if there is cancer, before the cancer cells spread beyond the polyp tissue. Once the cancer has spread, surgery may be needed to remove part of the colon and attach it to the rest.

“Even if parts of the colon are removed, they can function if they are caught early,” Calderon said.

Calderon said the prognosis is 90% survival over 5 years if it is confined to the layer of cells in which the cancer has developed. When the cancer spreads to the lymph nodes, the survival rate drops to 70%. After metastasis, survival drops to 15%.

“That’s why we screen early,” Calderon said.

For colorectal cancer, treatment usually includes surgery to get rid of the cancer and, if needed, chemotherapy.

The opposite is true for rectal cancer. Doctors start with chemotherapy and radiation therapy to shrink the tumor and perform surgery as needed.

“Ohio generally seems to have a 10 percent higher mortality rate than the national average,” Calderon said. The state is ranked 35th highest among the 50 states.

Ohio ranks 26th out of 50 states with 67.7 percent in the incidence of colorectal screening for people aged 50-75 years. Mahoning County averages 67.4% in the state and trumble is 62.9% behind.

“Our goal is 80 percent screening,” said Andamasaris.

Cause and prevention

Mutations in DNA cells cause colorectal cancer, but little is known about the causes. However, there are genetic and lifestyle factors that increase a person’s risk.

“A family history of bowel problems increases the risk of colorectal cancer,” McNally said. “These people should have a colonoscopy every 5 years instead of every 10 years.”

A family history of colorectal cancer, polyps, or other bowel problems doubles a person’s risk, doctors said. Inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis increase the risk. Age also increases the risk.

Signs of warning that there may be a problem include chronic bleeding, altered bowel movements, bowel pressure or pain, malaise, anemia, and weight loss.

“Blood stools should not be ignored,” Andamasaris said.

Among the ways she can help prevent colorectal cancer, she cited a healthy diet of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Reduce lean meat intake. Decreased alcohol intake; exercise regularly. Tobacco use and obesity can also be a factor.

And of course, regular screenings.

Access to cancer screening is a problem in some areas, but not so much in the Mahoning Valley, McNally said. “Access is good here.”

People are worried about how the screening and the preparation of the test itself are done.

“People are abstractly worried about these things, but that’s not the worst thing you’ve done,” McNally said. “It’s safe.”

Colorectal polyp

Cancer facts

The following is a comparison of the incidence of colorectal and rectal cancer in Trumbull and Mahoning counties. The number is per 100,000 inhabitants.

• Annual Incidence: Tumble, 42.5; Mahoning, 41.9; State Average, 41.3; US Average, 37.8.

• Annual mortality: Tumble, 14.8; Mahoning, 15.7; State average, 15.1; US ​​average, 13.7.

• Percentage of adults aged 50-75 years who meet screening guidelines: trumble, 62.9 percent. Mahoning, 67.4 percent. State, 67.7 percent. United States, 69.3 percent.

• Incidence of colorectal and rectal cancer decreased by 28% across the state between 1996 and 2018.

• Deaths from colon and rectal cancer decreased by 40% across the state between 1996 and 2018.

• Overall, Ohio people have a 65 percent survival rate after being diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer. Survival is 90 percent when caught in a “local stage” that is present only in the layer of cells in which the cancer has developed. In the “local phase” when the cancer has spread beyond the original panniculus, survival drops to 73 percent. 15% if diagnosed in the “distant stage”, the final stage of metastasis or cancerous growth away from the original site.

• The highest rate of colorectal cancer is rectum at 22.6%, nearby sigmoid colon at 16.5%, and cecal cancer at 14.9%. Ascending colon, 13.9 percent. Transverse colon, 6.4 percent. Rectal sigmoid junction, 5.6 percent. Descending colon, 4.2 percent. Appendix, 3.8 percent. Liver flexion, 2.9 percent; Spleen flexion, 1.8. percent.

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Ohio Health Department

Where to get the kit

Warren Suite 101, 1353 E. Free Colorectal Cancer Screening from 8am to 3:30 pm, Monday-Friday to March 31st, at the Department of Radiation Oncology, Trumble Community Medical Center, Market Street. You will receive the kit.

Alternatively, you will receive them at one of the following Steward Lab services:

• Austintown, 20 Ohltown Road

• 945Boardman Canfield Road, Youngstown

• 2586 ElmRoad, Building B, Bazetta;

• 811 Southwestern Run Road, Youngstown.

• 1350 E. Market St., Warren.