Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Colorectal cancer causes 655,000 deaths worldwide per year. According to estimative reports released by the American Cancer Society, 148,810 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year and 49,960 people will die of the disease.

One of the most recent initiatives of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), the advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society is a law and a screening program designed to provide vital colon cancer screenings, treatment and follow-up services to low-income and underinsured men and women ages 50 to 64.

The disease typically begins as a non-cancerous growth called a polyp. As the condition develops from polyps, it can be prevented by removing the polyps before they become cancerous.

Why is it important to get screening tests for colon cancer? Regularly screening for colorectal cancer can detect the condition at an early and thus more treatable stage and it can also prevent cancer from developing by removing precancerous polyps before they become cancerous. Studies have shown that a colonoscopy is 90 percent effective in detecting the second leading cancer killer of men and women in the U.S.

Doctors recommend people start colon cancer screening by age 50. If you have a family history of colon cancer, you should get a screening earlier. The cancer can also be detected using genetic testing. Studies have shown that home screening for colorectal cancers could also reduce the death rate from the disease by catching it in the earliest stages.