EXPERT’S CORNER: Early screening and advances in surgery benefit colorectal cancer patients
Colorectal cancer screening is important—and it’s easier than you think, according to Justin Maykel

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), colon and rectal cancer (often called colorectal cancer) is the second-leading cancer killer in the United States. In 2007, the latest year for which complete national data is available, the CDC reported that 142,672 people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and 53,219 people died from the disease that year.

While colorectal cancer is a killer, it is among the most treatable of cancers, particularly when detected early. The CDC estimates that 60 percent of deaths from colorectal cancer could be avoided if people over 50 had regular screenings for the disease.

Justin A. Maykel, MD, assistant professor of surgery at UMMS and chief of colon and rectal surgery at UMass Memorial Medical Center, is a passionate advocate for patients with colorectal cancer and strives to incorporate the latest technology and best practices into the care he and his colleagues provide for patients. Just as importantly, he is a vocal proponent of early screening for those at risk.

For more information, or to register for the event go to http://www.umassmemorial.org/coloncancerforum