Why should I get screened for colorectal cancer?

• Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer and third most common cause of death from cancer in California.
  
  
• In most cases colorectal cancer develops slowly from a adenomatous polyp (a non-cancerous growth in the colon or rectum), a process which can take up to 10 years.
  
  
• Cancers when discovered early can be cured.
  



• The number of cases of colorectal cancer in California can be reduced if people get timely screening tests to check for early cancer and pre-cancerous polyps.



• Prevention of colorectal cancer or detection of cancer while in its early stages can happen if patients follow doctors' recommendations on being screened for the disease on a regular basis.
  
  
  
• Review the State of California Resolution that proclaimed March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.  The resolution is an excellent summary of why screening for colon cancer is so important.