In Maine’s total population, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of new cancer cases and deaths. In 2009, almost 900 Mainers were diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and approximately 260 died from this disease.
This month’s US CDC Vital Signs and related MMWR focus on colorectal cancer.
The Maine Colorectal Cancer Control Program hopes to lessen the number of Mainers that are diagnosed with, or die from, colorectal cancer each year. The program focuses on helping all Mainers understand how important it is to be screened for colon cancer when they are age 50 and older, providing no-cost screening services for Mainers who do not have health insurance (or who have health insurance that does not pay for the costs of this important test), and connecting Mainers with the resources they need to prevent, detect, and survive colon cancer.
