|
Read News
|
Pocono News Section
Colorectal Cancer Rates High in Pennsylvania
Colorectal Cancer Rates High in Pennsylvania - Friday, March 21, 2008 at 12:55PM EST
Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Friday, Mar 21, 2008 @12:55pm EST
DANVILLE, MONTOUR COUNTY- Pennsylvania ranks among the highest states in the nation in cases of colorectal cancer. And the disease is equally common in men and women.
We stopped by Geisinger Medical Center in Danville to speak with Dr. Paul Meade, a colorectal surgeon. He explained that the disease is preventable, through the detection and removal of polyps that form in the colon, before the full onset of the cancer.
Colorectal cancer can be caused by genetics, or other environmental factors. "Certainly our diet, if you have a diet that's high in fat, it contributes to that disease process. We are exposed to certain chemicals in the environment. That may also be one of the predisposing causes that sort of promote the development of the disease in one specific individual," Dr. Meade explained.
Eating a low-fat, high fiber diet, limiting alcohol consumption, and exercising can help prevent colorectal cancer. Dr. Meade recommends that you have a colonoscopy or endoscopy by age 50, or earlier, if you have a family history of the disease.
| | |
|
|
|