Stennis Family Foundation supports new colon cancer guidelines

Mary Buford is a 44 year old African American woman with two  young children. Because she had been feeling weak for several months,  she decided to visit her physician who found that she had a low blood  count.  She was sent for a number of tests, which included a  colonoscopy.  To her surprise, she was informed that she had colon  cancer.
The month of March is designated as Colon Cancer Awareness  Month and allows healthcare professionals and cancer screening advocates  the opportunity to focus on this deadly disease. Approximately 150,000  new cases of colon cancer are diagnosed annually and 50,000 people will  die of this disease. In recent years with established programs of  screening and early detection, there has been a downward trend in colon  cancer mortality. Though breast and prostate cancer are more prevalent,  when men and women are considered, colon cancer still remains second to  lung cancer as the most deadly form of cancer.
Buford, along with  the council of her physician decided that surgery was the best course of  action. Colon cancer is one type of cancer that is preventable, easily  detected and cured at is earliest stages. It is estimated that  ninety-five percent of colon cancers arrive from small, precancerous  growths on the lining of the colon called polyps. With routine screening  and early detection, by removing these polyps, one can virtually  eliminate the risk of developing later colon cancer. Mary Bufords  surgery was successful and she did not require any further treatment.   She was cured of colon cancer.
Age appears to be the most significant  risk factor for colon cancer.  Precancerous growths or polyps increase  in prevalence in both men and women beginning around the age of 50. The  reasons for polyp development are unclear; however genetic  predisposition and environmental factors are thought to play a  significant role. Your personal risk of developing colon cancer may  increase if you have a family member with colon cancer or polyps.
Although  the month of March has been designated as Colon Cancer Awareness Month,  the truth is, because of the increased risk and poor outcomes, African  Americans should consider every day of every year as Colon Cancer  Awareness Day.  Lifestyle-related risk factors include: a diet high in  fat and/or red meat, obesity, physical inactivity, smoking and excessive  alcohol consumption.
In the United States, African Americans have  the highest incidence of colon cancer of any racial or ethnic group.   Compared with Caucasians, African Americans may develop colon cancer at  an earlier age, prompting some medical organizations to suggest earlier  screenings.
New consensus guidelines on the screening and detection  for colon cancer were released March 05, 2008. For the first time, these  guidelines state that the primary goal of colon cancer screening is  cancer prevention. Previous guidelines have given equal weight to tests  for detecting cancer and preventing cancer.
The Mary Buford story had  a happy ending. However, what is essential for her is to educate her  brothers, sisters and other family members of the importance of being  tested for colon cancer.
The new guidelines, which represent the most  current scientific evidence and expert opinions available, are the  joint efforts of the American Cancer Society, the American College of  Radiology, and the United States Multi-Society Task Force.
It is  not until the late stages that one will experience symptoms of colon  cancer. Therefore early detection is critical.
Colonoscopy remains  the gold standard procedure for screening, early detection and  prevention of colon cancer.  By removing polyps from the large bowel,  the colonoscopy is the only screening test that also prevents colon  cancer formation.  Other screening tests included in the updated  guidelines include sigmoidoscopy, barium enema, CT colonography, and  assessments of stools for hidden blood or abnormal tumor genetic  material.
The Stennis Family Foundation has taken on the mission of  educating African Americans about the need to test for colon cancer  detection for the purpose of colon cancer prevention.  The mission grew  from the premature death of Michael Stennis whose colon cancer was  detected too late for him to survive.