March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented if everyone older than 50 years old did one simple thing: Get screened regularly for colorectal cancer.

In the United States, colorectal cancer is the second most deadly cancer for both men and women, with more than 56,000 expected to die from this disease each year. In 2010, nearly 800 Mainers were diagnosed with colon cancer and 270 died from the disease.

Most colon cancers start as non-cancerous growths called polyps. If these polyps are found while they are still non-cancerous, they can be removed and the cancer may be prevented.

Major surgery can usually be avoided, as well. The possibility of curing patients after symptoms develop is only 50 percent, but if colorectal cancer is found and treated at an early stage before symptoms develop, the opportunity to cure it is 80 percent or better.

Despite the life-saving benefits of such screenings, only 51 percent of Sagadahoc County residents older than 50 have ever been screened — which is a much lower rate than the Maine average of 65 percent.

That is why Access Health, the Healthy Maine Partnership for Sagadahoc County, Brunswick and Harpswell, and the Sagadahoc County Board of Health have joined efforts to raise awareness of this important health issue.

Colorectal Cancer Prevention Month will be observed in many ways, including a joint proclamation between Access Health and the Sagadahoc County Board of Health; presentations for community members; an interview on Bath Community Television’s “Public Health and You” (for air times, visit www.bctv14.com); and articles and ads encouraging individuals to get screened.

When should you get your first colorectal screening?

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) makes the following screening recommendations starting at age 50:

— Every year: High-sensitivity fecal occult blood test (FOBT), which checks for hidden blood the stool.

— Every 5 years: Flexible sigmoidoscopy, where physicians look at the interior walls of the rectum and part of the colon.

— Every 10 years: Colonoscopy, where physicians look at the interior walls of the rectum and the entire colon.

If you have risk factors (for example you or a family member has a history of colon cancer or polyps or have inflammatory bowel disease), you should talk to your health care provider about the best screening for you. For some at high risk, screening could be recommended at age 40 or earlier.

For those needing assistance with screening costs, the Maine Colorectal Cancer Control Program provides no-cost colon cancer screening services for lowincome, average-risk Mainers, aged 50 and older, who are underinsured or uninsured.

For more information about the Maine Colorectal Cancer Control Program, call 877-320- 6800 or visit www.ColonScreen- ME.org.

The good news is that there are many things you can do to decrease your risk of developing colorectal cancer, such as:

— Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains

— Limit alcohol consumption

— Don’t use tobacco

— Maintain a healthy weight

— Be physically active

— Schedule a colorectal screening

For more information about colorectal cancer, please contact Access Health, your local Healthy Maine Partnership at 373- 6926 or visit our website, www.AccessHealthME.org.

Linda Christie is a prevention specialist with Access Health, the local Healthy Maine Partnerships serving Sagadahoc County, Brunswick and Harpswell. The Healthy Maine Partnership project is a collaborative effort among 26 local coalitions, the Maine DHHS (Maine CDC and Office of Substance Abuse) and DOE, supported primarily by the Fund for Healthy Maine.

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