Although painless and to be carried out at home, screening for colorectal cancer remains insufficient in France. Mars Bleu is an opportunity to raise awareness among those over 50 to take the test.
With over With 43,000 new cases and 17,000 deaths each year in France, colorectal cancer is the most common cancer in men after prostate and lung cancer, and in women after breast cancer. In 2018, 23,216 men and 20,120 women were diagnosed. That same year, 9,209 men and 7,908 women died of it. However, when detected early, colorectal cancer is curable in 9 out of 10 cases.
A painless screening test that is 100% reimbursed
It is on this prognosis that the Mars Bleu operation once again emphasizes by raising the awareness of people over 50 to get tested. Painless and quick, the immunological test colorectal cancer can be done at home in complete privacy. “Given by your doctor during a consultation every two years, it is intended for women and men, aged 50 to 74Explain The Cancer League. This test is 100% supported by the Health Insurance, without advance of costs”. The objective of this test is to look for traces of blood in the stool and thus detect a possible precancerous lesion or cancer.
It is recommended that people with a personal and/or family history contact their attending physician so that he can tell them what to do. “A genetic predisposition is suspected when two first-degree relatives (father, mother, sister, brother, child) are affected by cancer of the colon and/or rectum, uterus or ovaries, at least one of whom before the 50 years old.”
What happens if the test is positive?
The test is negative in 96% of cases. If it is positive, it does not mean that the person screened has cancer, but that blood has been detected in their stool. In order to identify the origin of this bleeding, she will be referred to a gastroenterologist to perform a colonoscopy.
“Before performing a colonoscopy, bowel preparation and a residue-free diet are essential for a quality examination. Performed under general anesthesia, the colonoscopy makes it possible to detect the possible presence of polyps and to remove them. In more than half of cases, colonoscopy can detect an abnormality, and detect a majority of polyps, and in some cases, cancer.”
Signs that should alert
Signs can alert you such as the presence of visible blood in the stool, abdominal pain, unusual and persistent digestive disorders (diarrhea or constipation), a unexplained weight loss or anemia.
To minimize the risk of cancer, limit your alcohol consumption, eat a balanced diet by limiting red meat and animal fats, and practice regular physical activity.
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