Cancer Centers of SW Oklahoma offer free colon cancer screening kits in March
The third most common and second deadliest type of cancer in the United States often presents no signs or symptoms and affects all races and ethnicities without discrimination. What type of cancer is this?
It is colorectal cancer, and March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
Colorectal cancer is cancer that begins in the colon or rectum, usually in the cells that make and release fluids. It often begins as a polyp that forms on the inner wall of the colon or rectum. Finding and removing polyps through regular screenings can help protect against colorectal cancer.
Colorectal cancer affects people over 50 years of age and is often only detected by colorectal cancer screenings. If you are a Medicare recipient, there is good news: Medicare covers most screenings at no cost! (More on that here.)
For Southwest Oklahoma, the Cancer Centers of Southwest Oklahoma are offering free colon cancer screening kits during the month of March 2018! They can be picked up from any of their locations.
These kits test for the presence of blood in stool, which is not a definite determinate for cancer, but can be an indicator. You will need to return your kit to one of the cancer centers so that may follow up with you on the results.
The locations for the Cancer Centers of Southwest Oklahoma are:
Altus - 1200 E. Broadway St., (580) 379-6000
Lawton - 104 NW 31st St., (580) 536-22121
Duncan - 2110 Duncan Regional Loop Rd., (580) 251-6600
Chickasha - 210 Mary Bailey Dr., (405) 222-9222
There are currently 140,000 people in the U.S. diagnosed with colorectal cancer, but there are steps that can be taken to ensure your health. The five simplest steps you can take to help prevent colorectal cancer are:
Get regular screenings
Maintain a health weight
Limit alcohol intake
Quit smoking (read about why it's never too late too quit)
Sunshine Home Care is an Altus, OK home health agency that serves most of Western Oklahoma. For more info on our agency, visit here or contact us today.
