Smoking and Colorectal Surgery

A new study published by researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center shows that smoking boosts the risk of complications and death following some of the most common colorectal procedures, including surgery for colon cancer, diverticulitis, or inflammatory bowel disease.

After accounting for patient age, body mass index, alcohol use and other health conditions, the team’s analysis showed that current smokers still had an estimated 30 percent increased risk of dying or developing complications following colorectal surgery compared with never-smokers.

Love Your Butt

Shake your money-maker on over to the doctor's office for colon cancer awareness month.


Source: Love Your Butt Campaign

Screen My Colon

Did your grandparents have colon cancer? Have any of your relatives ever had polyps?

Knowing the answers to questions like these could tell you if you are at an increased risk for colon cancer. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related death in the U.S.

Take the time to learn your health history by filling out a family health tree (pdf). You may need to tell your doctor to "Screen my colon!" (TM) earlier than you thought.


Source: CCA: Screen My Colon

Beating Bowel Cancer

Bowel cancer affects 1 in 18 people and kills 50 people every single day. But with early diagnosis it can be beaten. Check out Louise's story of how she beat bowel cancer and help us spread the word.

No Excuses

According to the CDC, of cancers affecting both men and women, colorectal cancer (cancer of the colon and rectum) is the second leading cancer killer in the United States. In the United States in 2008, 142,950 people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and 52,857 people died from it.

Don't keep trying to find an excuse to put it off any longer. If you're 50 years of age or older, you should be screened for colorectal cancer.


Source: CDC: Colorectal (colon) Cancer