CDC Features

CDC Features

CDC Colorectal Cancer Control Program

Photo: A group of men and women gathered around a table.

The program will provide colorectal cancer screening services for low-income men and women, aged 50-64 years, who are underinsured or uninsured for screening. The overall goals are to increase population-level colorectal cancer screening in the participating states and tribes and reduce health disparities in colorectal cancer screening, incidence, and mortality.

CDC Colorectal Cancer Control Program

CDC is launching a colorectal cancer control program in the following states and tribal organizations:

Alabama
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (Tribal Organization in Alaska)
Arizona
Arctic Slope Native Association (Tribal Organization in Alaska)
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Iowa
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts

Minnesota
Montana
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Mexico
New York
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Dakota
South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency (Tribal Organization in Washington)
Southcentral Foundation (Tribal Organization in Alaska)
Utah
Washington

Photo: A man and woman. Screening for colorectal cancer is recommended for men and women beginning at age 50.

National guidelines for colorectal cancer screening include several screening test options. Recommended screening tests are:

Colonoscopy (once every 10 years).
High-Sensitivity Fecal Occult Blood Test, also known as a Stool Test (once a year).
Flexible Sigmoidoscopy (every 5 years).

Both men and women are at risk. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States. In 2005 (the most recent year for which statistics are currently available):

72,007 men and 69,398 women were diagnosed with colorectal cancer.*
26,781 men and 27,259 women died from colorectal cancer.*

If you're 50 or older, talk with your doctor about getting screened. For more information, call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636).

*Source: U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2005 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2009. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/uscs.