HHS HealthBeat (April 19, 2006)

Getting better at getting checked.

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

We're always hammered about stuff we do wrong. Here's something many of us do right. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more people ages 50 and older are getting checked for colorectal cancer. In 2004, 57 percent of people surveyed said they'd been screened, versus 54 percent in 2002.

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among adults. But it can be prevented or cured if caught early, and there are several ways to check for it.

CDC researcher Laura Seeff says we're moving in the right direction, but there's a lot of room for improvement left:

"Everyone 50 and over should begin regular screening for colorectal cancer. Any screening test is better than no screening." (seven seconds)

She says you should talk with your doctor about what's right for you.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: August, 15 2006