Fact:At least 6 out of every 10 deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented if all men and women aged 50 years or older were screened routinely.

Fact:The American Cancer Society estimated that in 2011 about 141,210 people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the US.

Fact:The American Cancer Society estimated that in 2011 about 49,380 people died of colorectal cancer in the US.

Fact:Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer.

Fact:Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the US.

Fact:Overall, 90% of new cases and 94% of deaths occur in individuals 50 and older.

Fact:Colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates are highest in African American men and women.

Fact:One of the most consistently reported relationships between colon cancer risk and behavior is the protective effect of physical activity.

Fact:The goals of screening for colorectal cancer are the prevention of cancer through the detection and removal of precancerous growths and the diagnosis of cancers at an early stage.

Diseases

Microscopic Colitis

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Microscopic colitis refers to two medical conditions which cause diarrhea: collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis. Both conditions are characterized by the following triad of features:

Chronic watery diarrhea
Normal colonoscopy
Colon biopsies with specific characteristics which can only be seen via a microscope by a Pathologist.

Treatment
No single treatment is accepted as the standard and measuring response is difficult. Lymphocytic colitis is thought to respond well to bismuth (Pepto-Bismol®), mesalamine and collagenous colitis to an oral steroid, budesonide.