* Incidence rates of late-stage colorectal cancer increased with age and were highest among black men and women.
* Late-stage colon and rectum incidence rates ranged from 51.0 to 86.5, and were highest in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

“This report causes concern because so many preventable cancers are not being diagnosed when treatment is most effective,” said Marcus Plescia, MD, MPH, Director, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. “More work is needed to widely implement evidence-based cancer screening tests which may lead to early detection and, ultimately, an increase in the number of lives saved.”

The CDC report is the first to highlight the nationwide incidence of late-stage cancer diagnosis and cancer screening prevalence, the incidence rates of late-stage cancers differed by age, race/ethnicity, and state.

The CDC’s Colorectal Cancer Control Program currently funds colorectal cancer screening programs in 25 states and 4 tribal organizations. However, we need your help to make this program permanent! In order to expand the CDC’s Colorectal Cancer Control Program nation-wide and allow the CDC to cover treatment costs we need to get Representative Kay Granger’s “Colorectal Cancer Early Detection, Prevention and Treatment Act” enacted into law. If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to call your Representative and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 1189.

How to Call Your Representative
* Dial the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Representative (you’ll need to know your Rep’s name).
* Once you are connected to your Representative’s office, identify yourself as a constituent.
* Leave a message asking your Representative “to cosponsor H.R. 1189 to save thousands of lives and save Medicare billions.”

Want to help increase awareness of the importance of early detection and screening in your city and state? Download our Proclamations 101 toolkit and request a proclamation recognizing March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month from your city council, mayor, and/or governor. Our toolkit includes sample letters to the editor and press releases you can use to get the word out about the importance of early detection and screening. The toolkit and more information is available online at http://link.fightcrc.org/proclamations101.

Olympus and the Colorectal Cancer Coalition are joining forces to encourage at-risk Americans to commit to being screened for colon or rectal cancer. If you are age 50 or older, have family history of colorectal cancer or have other risk factors, you should commit to be screened at FinditFirst.com.

For each screening commitment, Olympus will donate $1 (up to $25,000 total) to the Coalition. In addition to making a commitment to be screened, visitors will also be invited to join Olympus and the Coalition in urging their Members of Congress to support legislation that ensures all Americans access to life-saving colorectal cancer screening.

Make the commitment at FinditFirst.com, get screened and tell your friends and loved ones!

Paulette was just 44 years old when she was diagnosed with rectal cancer.  After 14 months of treatment, this February, she got the good news that she is cancer free.  Like so many advocates, Paulette has turned her fight with cancer into a mission to help others.  In March, she organized the inaugural “Paulette Steps Toward Cancer Wellness” 5K run/1-mile walk to raise money for CentraState Hospital in New Jersey where she received her treatment.

Paulette had a very busy March.  Not only did she organize a run that attracted more than 350 participants and raised over $26,000 for CentraState Hospital, she also participated in C3′s Congressional Butt-In.  She recruited friends and colleagues from across New Jersey to participate in the Butt-In, and thanks to her efforts every member of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation received calls from constituents asking them to support the Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment Act (H.R. 1189).

Read more about Paulette’s story as well as interviews with other cancer survivors in the New York Times article.

On March 30-31, 2010 advocates from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico called their Representatives in Congress, urging them to support the Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment Act (H.R. 1189) during the annual Congressional Butt-In.

The Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment Act (H.R. 1189) will establish a program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide colorectal cancer screenings and treatment for low-income, uninsured and underinsured individuals who are not eligible for Medicare.

Representative Kay Granger (R-TX) and sponsor of H.R. 1189, released the following statement:

“Like advocates across the country, finding ways to effectively fight colorectal cancer is a very personal issue for me.  I look forward to the day when we have a national colorectal cancer screening and treatment program in place.  Such a program will save thousands of lives and save billions of taxpayer dollars in reduced Medicare expenditures.  I thank the C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition, the Prevent Cancer Foundation, and the advocates from across the country who took the time to call Congress today for their support of my bill.  Together we can get H.R. 1189 enacted into law.”

Carlea Bauman, President of the C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition, released the following statement:

“Today colorectal cancer advocates from across the country spoke up and urged their Representatives to support legislation that will strike a blow against this disease that kills 50,000 Americans each year. I applaud them for their passion and commitment. I am also grateful for the partnership of the Prevent Cancer Foundation on this effort.  Together we will see the vision of a national screening and treatment program for colorectal cancer become a reality.”

Lisa Hughes, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Prevent Cancer Foundation, released the following statement:

“Constituent voices have a major impact on Members of Congress and their policy priorities.  The overwhelming show of support for H.R. 1189 demonstrates a clear need for a Federally-supported screening program for colorectal cancer, and we are hopeful that Congress will act to pass this legislation.  We extend our thanks to those that took the time to call today, and to our partners in this effort, C3: the Colorectal Cancer Coalition.”

While the recently enacted health care reform legislation will lower the cost of preventive services like colonoscopies for many Americans, the health care reform legislation will not do anything to increase awareness about the importance of early detection and screening. Today, even among those with health insurance, screening rates for colorectal cancer are much too low – less than half of those who should be screened get screened.

When colorectal cancer is detected early and treated, the five-year survival rate is 90 percent. However, less than 50 percent of U.S. adults aged 50 and older have been screened according to recommended guidelines. Due to low screening rates, less than 40 percent of colorectal cancers are found early. Education and outreach included in HR1189 are crucial to improving these rates.

Already today, we have reached over 160 Members of Congress!  Did you call your Representative? Take a minute, and let us know how the call went in the form below.

And be sure to tell your friends, family, and colleagues to call 1-866-615-3375 and ask their Representative to cosponsor H.R. 1189.  Together we will make the vision of a national screening and treatment program for colorectal cancer a reality.

“Share my voice and experience for a disease that is preventable, treatable, and beatable. Advocates from across the country joined together wearing Cover Your Butt t-shirts and descended upon Capitol Hill to encourage legislators to support three legislative proposals that will help us win the fight against colorectal cancer.”

Read more about Suzanne’s Call-on Congress experience in Cure Magazine.

When Suzanne met with her Members of Congress, she asked them to cosponsor legislation that will create a national screening and treatment for colorectal cancer similar to what we currently have in place for breast and cervical cancer.

Is your Representative a cosponsor of this important legislation?  If not, today is your chance to call your Representative and get them to cosponsor H.R. 1189.  Call 1-866-615-3375 anytime from 9 AM to 5:30 PM EDT, and ask your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 1189.

Don’t know what to say when you call?  We have a detailed script that you can use.

Verna traveled to DC to participate in the 2010 Call-on Congress because:

“I’m back attending because we still haven’t reached our goal of having a colorectal Cancer prevention, early detection and treatment act passed into law.

Read more about Verna’s story in the City Suburban News.

Take five minutes today and help Verna reach her goal of seeing a national colorectal cancer screening and treatment program enacted into law.  Call 1-866-615-3375 anytime from 9 AM to 5:30 PM EDT, and ask your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 1189.

Don’t know what to say when you call?  We have a detailed script that you can use.

Rochelle took time off from work to participate in the 2010 Call-on Congress because:

“I believe that awareness, education, and early screening and detection are paramount with a preventable disease like colon cancer.”

Read more about Rochelle’s story at Fredricksburg.com.

When Rochelle met with her Members of Congress, she asked them to cosponsor legislation that will create a national screening and treatment for colorectal cancer similar to what we currently have in place for breast and cervical cancer.

Is your Representative a cosponsor of this life-saving legislation?  If not, today is your chance to call your Representative and ask him/her to cosponsor H.R. 1189.  Call 1-866-615-3375 anytime from 9 AM to 5:30 PM EDT, and ask your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 1189.

Don’t know what to say when you call?  We have a detailed script that you can use.

Don’t know what to say when you call?  Download a detailed script.

H.R. 1189 will create a national treatment and screening program for colorectal cancer – a program that remains important even in the wake of health care reform.  While the recently enacted health care reform legislation will lower the cost of preventive services like colonoscopies for many Americans, the health care reform legislation will not do anything to increase awareness about the importance of early detection and screening.  To do that, we need H.R. 1189 enacted.

Today is your chance to help us win the fight against colorectal cancer and make the vision of a national colorectal cancer screening and treatment program a reality.  Take five minutes to call Congress and ask your Representative to support H.R. 1189.

For more details, and updates go to www.coveryourbutt.org.

Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper

Along with Preventing Colorectal Cancer.org and the Prevent Cancer Foundation, C3 hosted a Congressional briefing in order to provide Members and health care staff with information about current colorectal cancer screening programs that work and pending legislation that has the potential to save thousands of lives and billions in Medicare expenditures by expanding access to colorectal cancer screening and treatment.

Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper spoke at the briefing about the impact of colorectal cancer on women and to urge support for her recently-introduced resolution.  A champion for the health care and wellness needs of women, Representative Dahlkemper discussed the importance of early detection and screening in the fight against colorectal cancer.

“Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in both women and men in the United States, yet many people are unaware of the need to be screened for this disease.  As many as 44,000 lives a year could be saved if colorectal cancer screening was fully accessible and utilized.  Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is about educating men and women to save lives. I am proud to be part of this important effort to raise awareness and help in the fight against colorectal cancer.”

Dr. Laura Seeff, Acting Branch Chief, Comprehensive Cancer Control Branch, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spoke about the CDC’s colorectal cancer control programs.  The CDC’s cancer control programs have been highly successful in increasing population-based screening rates.  The program began as a demonstration project at five sites, and Congress recently provided the funding to expand the program to twenty-six states and tribal territories.  The CDC program is the model for the Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment Act introduced by Congresswoman Kay Granger.

Representative Granger’s health care advisor, Theresa Vawter, attended the briefing and spoke about the bill and why even with health care reform we still need H.R. 1189 enacted in order to increase population-based screening rates and win the fight against colorectal cancer.

Dr. John Marshall, Chief, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Georgetown University Hospital Associate Director, Clinical Research, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center spoke about colorectal cancer from the clinician’s perspective.  Dr. Marshall spoke of the frustration of seeing patients every day in his practice that he shouldn’t see simply because those individuals who should be screened for colorectal cancer continue to delay and/or avoid screening.  He also gave an overview for attendees about current screening rates.

The briefing was moderated by Dr. Steven Morris, Chair Person and Founding Board Member, Preventing Colorectal Cancer.org and President, Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates.  It provided Congressional staff and other attendees with an overview of the current state of colorectal cancer screening and programs.