by Stephanie Crosby
Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. and the Kentucky Cancer Program is holding its second annual awareness campaign for the disease. Friday is Dress in Blue day to raise awareness about the disease and how to get screened.
University of Louisville colorectal surgeon Susan Galandiuk says this type of cancer is especially prevalent in Kentucky.
“One of the things that’s particularly frustrating as a doctor working in Kentucky is that, unlike the rest of the country, most of the colorectal cancers in Kentucky are diagnosed as advanced stages, and that makes curing patients more difficult,” says Galandiuk.
She adds that if detected in early stages, 80-90% of colorectal cancer cases can be cured.
Galandiuk says most colorectal cancers proceed into late stages, because people are afraid of the screening, which is a colonoscopy.