Newsletter Inserts
Newsletter Insert #1
Title: Colon Cancer: Getting Tested Could Save Your Life
If you are 50 or older, the American Cancer Society® and the North Dakota Cancer Coalition recommend
you talk to your doctor about getting tested, even if you have no symptoms of colon cancer. And if you
have a parent, sibling, or child who has had colon cancer or colon polyps, talk with your doctor now; you
might need to start testing when you are younger than 50.
Many colon cancer deaths could be prevented if people got tested regularly. Most colon cancers start as
polyps (small growths on the lining of the colon). Finding and removing polyps before they become
cancer can stop colon cancer before it starts. Screening tests can also find cancer in early, more
treatable stages. When colon cancer is found early, it’s easier to treat.
A number of different types of screening tests are available, from simple tests that you can do at home
to colonoscopies done by a specialist. To learn more about these and other colon cancer tests, watch
this short video, and then decide with your doctor which test is right for you.
For more information about steps you can take to stay well and prevent colon cancer, reach out to these
organizations:

American Cancer Society
www.cancer.org or call 1-800-227-2345 anytime, day or night
Email: Shannon.bacon@cancer.org

North Dakota Cancer Coalition
www.ndcancercoalition.org
Email: ndcc@nd.gov
Newsletter Insert #2
Title: 50 or older? It’s time to get tested!
Are you or is someone you care about 50 or older? Then it’s time to talk with a doctor about getting
screened for colon cancer.
The American Cancer Society® and the North Dakota Cancer Coalition recommend that everyone 50 and
older start and be tested regularly. People who have colon cancer or colon polyps in their families
should talk to their doctor at an earlier age about getting tested.
Although colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United
States, some colon cancers can be prevented with regular testing. But, many people aren’t getting the
tests that could save their lives – often because they’re afraid the tests may be embarrassing or painful.
The fact is, these tests are almost always neither. Some of the tests, such as colonoscopy, can help
doctors find polyps – small growths in the colon that can lead to cancer. Colonoscopy is often
recommended because it looks at the entire colon and because, if a polyp is found, it can be removed
during the procedure. Colonoscopy is done using sedation, so it’s not painful. Stool tests are another
option, and these tests can be done in the privacy of your own home. Click here to watch a short video
about these and other colon cancer screening tests.
Preventing colon cancer, or finding it early, doesn’t have to be expensive. There are simple, affordable
tests available. Don’t wait – talk to your doctor today to decide which cancer screening tests are right
for you and how often you should have them.
To learn more about the steps you can take to stay well and find colon cancer early, reach out to these
organizations:

American Cancer Society
www.cancer.org or call 1-800-227-2345 anytime, day or night
Email: Shannon.bacon@cancer.org

North Dakota Cancer Coalition
www.ndcancercoalition.org
Email: ndcc@nd.gov
Newsletter Insert #3
Title: Do you know the signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer?
Colon cancer may cause one or more of the symptoms listed below. If you have any of the following, you
should see your doctor:
 A change in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation, or narrowing of the stool, that lasts for
more than a few days
 A feeling that you need to have a bowel movement that’s not relieved by doing so
 Rectal bleeding
 Blood in the stool, which may make it look dark
 Cramping or belly pain
 Weakness and tiredness
 Unintended weight loss
Most of these problems are more often caused by conditions other than colon cancer, such as infection,
hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, or inflammatory bowel disease. Still, if you have any of these
symptoms, it's important to see a doctor right away so the cause can be found and treated, if needed.
(Source: American Cancer Society)
To learn more about the signs of symptoms of colon cancer, reach out to these organizations:

American Cancer Society
www.cancer.org or call 1-800-227-2345 anytime, day or night
Email: Shannon.bacon@cancer.org

North Dakota Cancer Coalition
www.ndcancercoalition.org
Email: ndcc@nd.gov
View the full 2015 Colon Cancer Awareness Toolkit at http://contentsubscription.cancer.org/