Today is National Start Walking Day

Put on those sneakers and take a walk!

Today is National Start Walking Day.  Not only can regular walking reduce risk for heart disease, it can be part of an exercise program to prevent colorectal cancer and support survivorship.

Thirty minutes of walking at a moderate pace has been shown to reduce risk of getting colorectal cancer.  Plus exercise after surgery for stage III colon cancer reduced the chances of its coming back. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on April 8th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colorectal cancer prevention, exercise, survivorship

What Does Health Care Reform Mean for People Concerned About Colorectal Cancer?

This morning, the President signed into law the biggest transformation of our health care system in decades.  The law includes a number of provisions that will help individuals diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer.

Although many of the provisions of the new law are phased in to take effect gradually until the entire law is implemented in 2018, some benefits will be available immediately.

Highlights of the provisions that will benefit individuals people facing cancer treatment include: prohibiting insurance companies from dropping patients who become sick; eliminating lifetime and annual limits on coverage; prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions; and limits on on out-of-pocket expenses.

You can review a chart developed by C3 with key issues affecting colorectal cancer prevention and treatment that are part of the health care reform legislation.

While historic, enactment of this new law is just one step in an ongoing process.  Even after all the provisions in the new law take effect in 2018, many Americans may be newly insured but will still fail to receive the right treatment at the right time.  The Colorectal Cancer Coalition continues to support research to help develop new treatments and to support efforts to increase awareness about the importance of early detection and screening. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on March 23rd, 2010
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News, Research & Treatment News | 1 Comment »
Tags: colorectal cancer, colorectal cancer prevention, Health Care Reform

March 3 Celebrates Good Omega-3 Fats

Put some extra omega 3 fatty acids in your diet today and celebrate March 3 as Omega- 3 Awareness Day.

Foods rich in omega-3 fats, especially those in fish and seafood, may reduce your risk of getting colon cancer. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on March 3rd, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 1 Comment »
Tags: colorectal cancer prevention, omega-3 fats

Colonoscopy Prevents Cancers in Left Side of Colon

While colonoscopy is effective in preventing cancers and advanced polyps in the lower part of the colon and rectum, it is less successful in stopping them in the right side or upper colon.

Looking back at almost 3,300 colonoscopies performed in community gastroenterology practices in Germany, researchers found a substantial reduction in large polyps or cancers in the left side of the colon and rectum among patients who had had a colonoscopy in the past ten years compared to those who hadn’t had one.

However, in the upper part of the colon, risk for an advanced polyp or cancer was the same whether or not the patient had a previous colonoscopy.

Overall, colonoscopy reduced the risk of a cancer or an advanced adenoma by 50 percent.

Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on January 4th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 1 Comment »
Tags: colonoscopy screening, colorectal cancer prevention

Prevent Cancer Foundation Celebrates 25 Years

Carolyn "Bo" Aldige

C3 congratulates the Prevent Cancer Foundation on their 25th anniversary this month.

We are proud of the work they do, especially in encouraging screening to prevent colorectal cancer.  This March they will sponsor the 12th Dialogue for Action Prevention Hits the Headlines.

Prevent Cancer also sponsors the Super Colon Tour, an educational program accompanied by a large crawl-through colon.  2010 tour appearances are being scheduled now. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on December 16th, 2009
Posted in: C3 News, Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colorectal cancer prevention