The month of March is the month dedicated to screening but also to prevention around colorectal cancer. For Axel Kahn, president of the League against cancer “The Covid-19 crisis should not make people forget cancer, a scourge that affects nearly 400,000 people each year”.
In a press release published this Tuesday, February 23, the association the League against cancer warns about cancer screening. According to the association, “nearly 93,000 diagnoses” could not be established in 2020 in France due to the coronavirus pandemic. “We must continue to hammer home this message to save lives. The Covid-19 crisis must not make people forget cancer, a scourge that affects nearly 400,000 people each year”, says Axel Kahn, president of the League against cancer. The association is sounding the alarm and taking the lead before the start of “Blue March”, a month to raise awareness about colorectal cancer screening.
Colorectal cancer is responsible for more than 17,000 deaths per year
Like Pink October for breast cancer screening, Blue Mars is there to remind people that colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and the third in women. It affects nearly 43,000 people each year and causes the death of more than 17,000 people per year.
Screening for colorectal cancer can be done at home
Colorectal cancer is cured in 9 out of 10 cases if caught as early as possible. Immunological testing is now very accessible and can be performed at your home quickly. This test is designed to detect the presence of human blood in the stool. It is recommended that screening be performed every two years. This test is primarily intended for people aged 50 to 74 who do not have any symptoms or particular risk factors.
