WHITTIER – PIH Health has made the pledge to help increase colon cancer screening rates by supporting the 80% by 2018 initiative, led by the American Cancer Society (ACS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (a coalition co-founded by ACS and CDC).   
 
Colon cancer is the nation’s second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. when men and women are combined; however it is one of only a few cancers that can be prevented. Through colon cancer screening, doctors can find and remove hidden growths (called “polyps”) in the colon, before they become cancerous. Removing polyps can prevent cancer. 
 
“PIH Health is pleased to join hundreds of organizations nationwide that have committed to substantially reducing colon cancer by working toward the shared goal of 80% of adults aged 50 and older regularly screened by 2018,” said Jim West, president and CEO of PIH Health. 
 
Colon cancer in its early stages typically shows no symptoms, so it is critical that people ages 50 and over get screened as aging puts people at greater risk. Colon cancer is a significant public health problem yet many people do not get screened even though screening saves lives.
 
While colon cancer incidence rates have dropped in the U.S. among adults 50 and older, it remains the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, despite being highly preventable, detectable and treatable. In fact, it is estimated that in 2016, 134,490 cases of colon cancer will be diagnosed. If the nation can achieve 80% by 2018, 277,000 cases and 203,000 colon cancer deaths would be prevented by 2030.
 
PIH Health asks its community members to come together to increase screening in the community and beyond. PIH Health urges community members to talk to friends and family who are over 50 years old about getting screened. 
 
For more information about colon cancer screenings, contact the PIH Health direct access colonoscopy program at (562) 945-4754, or to find a doctor near you, visit: PIHHealth.org/Find-a-Doctor.