National Colon Cancer Screening Day motivates more than 2,000 to seek screenings

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A record number of people were motivated to seek colon cancer screenings for a day last week, according to an organization focused on the disease.

StopColonCancerNow.com designated March 8 as National Colon Cancer Screening Day, motivating more 2,000 new patients to seek screenings for the disease. Experts recommend that anyone older than 50 years, as well as African-Americans 45 years and older and those who have a family history of polyps or colon cancer, get a colonoscopy.

When detected early, colon cancer has a 90% survival rate, according to the group. Colonoscopies allow doctors to find and remove precancerous polyps before they develop into cancer.

"We are exceedingly glad that our efforts to educate people about the importance of colon cancer screening were effective," StopColonCancerNow.com medical adviser John Popp said. "Though National Screening Day is important, every day should be National Screening Day. If this were the case, we would see the number of colon cancer cases decline rapidly because it is largely a preventable disease."