Free Colon Cancer Test Kits Available
From Lincoln Memorial Hospital
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[April 04, 2023]
Lincoln
Memorial Hospital is providing free take-home screening tests for
colon cancer to local residents during the month of March.
Starting March 2, local residents can call Angela Stoltzenburg,
director, Community Health Collaborative, at 217–605–5008 to have a
kit mailed to their home address. Kits will be available while
supplies last.
Completed kits should be mailed back in the provided, preaddressed
envelope within 10 days of kit pickup. Individuals will receive a
letter informing them of their results.
Take-home colorectal cancer screenings are
recommended for individuals 45 years old and older, as well as
people who have a history of colorectal polyps or inflammatory bowel
disease, a diet high in processed food or red meat, smokers and
individuals who are obese or engage in heavy alcohol use.
For people 76 years old and older, the decision to be screened
should be based on a person’s preferences, life expectancy, general
health and prior screening history.
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March is National Colorectal
Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the second-leading
cause of death among cancers that affect both men and women,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While the fecal immunochemical test is considered the
standard for detection of blood in the stool, one of the early signs
of colorectal cancer, the test does not replace a colonoscopy.
Regularly scheduled screenings in the form of colonoscopies can
prevent cancer from developing if precancerous polyps are detected
and removed before they become cancer. Regular screenings can also
find cancer in its earliest stages when it can be treated.
Survival rates for colon and rectum cancer are nearly 90 percent
when the cancer is diagnosed before it has extended beyond the
intestinal wall, according to “Illinois Facts and Figures,”
published by the American Cancer Society.
For more information about the kit distribution, call 217-788-4400.
[Angie Muhs ] |