Colorectal Cancer News

Screening: Many Skip Follow-Up Tests for Colon Cancer

Almost half of patients who are screened for colon cancer do not get the recommended follow-up test two years later, according to a new study.

The follow-up test is inexpensive, can be taken at home and supported by medical evidence.

“This is not just a one-time deal,” said the lead author, Dr. Joshua J. Fenton, assistant professor of family and community medicine at the University of California, Davis. “It’s a lot like a mammogram or a Pap smear — it’s a test that you need to do on a regular basis if you want it to give you the benefit you’re looking for, reducing your risk of dying of colon cancer.”

References
Caryn Rabin, Roni. Screening: Many Skip Follow-Up Tests for Colon Cancer. New York Times. 2010 September 20.

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