CONGRESSMAN PAYNE PROMOTES COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING

From our Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. earlier this week:

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) joined dozens of groups at the National Press Club in Washington, DC this afternoon, that are dedicated to eliminating colorectal cancer as a major public health problem.  Payne and the groups launched an effort to increase the nation’s colorectal cancer screening rate to 80 percent by the year 2018.  Colorectal cancer screening is proven to save lives, and new data from the American Cancer Society show that investing in colorectal cancer screening efforts is paying off.

“Witnessing my father’s heartbreaking battle with this sometimes fatal, yet preventable and treatable cancer, it became my mission to join all of you here today to raise awareness about the importance of colorectal cancer screening and early detection,” said Rep. Payne, Jr.  “So I am proud to endorse the 80 Percent By 2018 Initiative and pledge to do all that I can do in my capacity to help achieve this lofty but important goal to prevent and eliminate this dreaded disease.”

New American Cancer Society data released at today’s event finds colon cancer incidence rates have dropped 30 percent in the U.S. in the last 10 years among adults 50 and older due to the widespread increase in colonoscopies. The study, appearing early online in the American Cancer Society’s CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, finds the largest decrease has occurred in people over age 65, with the decline accelerating from 3.6 percent per year during 2001-2008 to 7.2 percent per year during 2008-2010. The larger declines among these Medicare-eligible seniors likely reflect higher rates of screening because of universal insurance coverage. Colonoscopy use has almost tripled among adults ages 50 to 75, from 19 percent in 2000 to 55 percent in 2010.