Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the U.S. and the second leading cause of death from cancer. Colorectal cancer affects all racial and ethnic groups and is most often found in people 50 and older.
The best way to prevent colorectal cancer is to get screened regularly starting at age 50. There are often no signs or symptoms of colorectal cancer—that’s why it’s so important to get screened. You don’t have to do it alone. Medicare covers a variety of colorectal cancer screenings to help you detect and prevent colorectal cancer—like fecal occult blood tests, flexible sigmoidoscopies, and colonoscopies to help you detect and prevent colorectal cancer—and you’ll pay nothing for most of them.
This is a great time to do 5 things to stop this cancer in its tracks.
- Get screened
- Exercise
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Don’t drink too much alcohol
- Don’t smoke
Do what you can so you’re not one of the 140,000 Americans diagnosed with colorectal cancer every year and let Medicare help.