Younger people continue to get diagnosed with more advanced stages of colon cancer

March 13th, 2023

Younger people are continually getting diagnosed with more advanced stages of colon cancer, and early detection is key to preventing and treating the cancer, according to Helen Fasanya-Uptagraft, M.D.

“Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States in both African Americans and Caucasians,” said Dr. Fasanya-Uptagraft.

In her years of experience, Dr. Fasanya-Uptagraft said they’ve seen younger people getting diagnosed with more advanced stages of colon cancer, and that leads to fewer treatment options. Early detection, including colonoscopies, detects polyps which are precursors to colon cancer.

“We can reduce 90% of colon cancer incidents and deaths just by early prevention and early detection,” she said.

Dr. Fasanya-Uptagraft is a gastroenterologist at Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates in Omaha.

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