According to the American Cancer Society (ACS): Aside from skin cancer, colon cancer is the third most common cancer affecting both men and women in the United States. The good news, the ACS says, is that overall, the number of people diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer each year has generally declined since the mid-1980s, largely due to mainstream awareness of the importance of screening.
However, more and more younger adults have been diagnosed in recent decades, and colorectal cancer rates in people under 50 have increased by one to two percent each year since the mid-1990s. (Some experts say a diet high in processed foods is often a factor in this rising trend.)
Americans are waiting too late for colon and rectal cancer screening – now is the time to start
But how can you tell if you’re at risk for colon cancer? The American Cancer Society says that while certain risk factors may not mean you will get the disease – and the absence of risk factors does not necessarily mean you way-studies have continued to identify several traits that can increase your risk.
Help determine your colorectal cancer risk by taking the quiz below from Fight Colorectal Cancer, which describes itself as America’s “leading patient empowerment and advocacy organization” in the fight against colon cancer.
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The survey is provided by FightColorectalCancer.org.
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