FL Health Raises Awareness for Colorectal Cancer Screening, Early Detection

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Tallahassee, Fla. — Florida Health invites you to join us in raising awareness about the risk of colorectal cancer by participating in the Annual National Dress in Blue Day on Friday, March 2. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths among men and women in Florida, yet it can be prevented or detected at an early stage. 

“Join me this Friday by wearing blue in honor of the families affected by colorectal cancer and help us by encouraging your loved ones to have regular colorectal cancer screenings – particularly those at an increased risk,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary Dr. Celeste Philip. “With early detection, we can protect more Floridian’s from this deadly form of cancer.”

Regular colorectal cancer screenings should begin at age 50 as 90 percent of new cases occur in people 50 and older. Your risk for colorectal cancer may be higher than average if you or a close relative have had colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer. People at high risk may need earlier or more frequent screenings than others. Talk to your doctor about which screening test is right for you. Testing options and their recommended frequency include:

• A Fecal Immunochemical Test or FIT (testing for blood in the stool) every year;
• A sigmoidoscopy every five years with FIT every three years; and
• A colonoscopy every 10 years.

Started in 2009 by the Colon Cancer Alliance, National Dress in Blue Day seeks to bring national attention to colorectal cancer and to celebrate the courage of those affected by this disease. Colorectal cancer affects men and women equally and the American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 140,000 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2018.

Visit the Colorectal Cancer Alliance to learn more about National Dress in Blue Day and how to prevent colorectal cancer.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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