Welcome to Tackle Colon Cancer, a collaborative effort among the American Cancer Society, Aetna, Redskins cornerback Darrell Green and the Inova Health System. Under the banner Tackle Colon Cancer - Join the Green Team, the Partnership is working to prevent, treat, and ultimately beat this disease.

The "Tackle Colon Cancer" website is intended for all men and women, including health care professionals and those living with colorectal cancer. We invite you to learn more about colorectal cancer from physicians, other health care professionals, and colorectal cancer survivors.

Introduction to the Colorectal Cancer Partnership

	Kirsten Edmiston, MD, FACS Co-Chair, Colorectal Cancer Partnership Medical Director Inova Fairfax Hospital Cancer Center
	William Fried, MD Co-Chair, Colorectal Cancer Partnership Medical Director Aetna

Q: Why should we be concerned about colorectal cancer?
Dr. Edmiston: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States; an estimated 56,300 Americans will die from the disease in 2005. More people die each year from colorectal cancer than from breast cancer or AIDS. Colorectal cancer is an equal opportunity killer, it afflicts men and women of all races.

Everybody needs to get the message that colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable of cancers. We know that screening to detect and remove abnormal growths in the colon or rectum before they become cancer saves lives. But most people aren't having the recommended screenings. A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found less than half of adults age 50 and older have had one of the colorectal screenings within the recommended screening time.

Q: How is the Green Team "tackling" colon cancer?
Dr. Fried: As physicians we are all too aware that without routine screening many people won't be diagnosed until their cancers are in the later stages when treatment is less successful. The Colorectal Cancer Partnership is a three-year initiative by Aetna, the American Cancer Society, Inova Health System, and Redskins cornerback Darrell Green to promote greater awareness of colorectal cancer throughout Northern Virginia. By partnering, given our mutual commitment to this cause and our collective resources, we believe we can have the greatest impact in the fight against colon cancer. Under the banner Tackle Colon Cancer - Join the Green Team, we are working with area physicians, nurses, other health care professionals, colon cancer survivors, community volunteers, government officials, and the media to prevent, treat, and ultimately beat this disease.

Dr. Edmiston: The continuing medical education program, Colorectal Cancer - Advances in Management, available through this site, is an example of how we are disseminating the latest information on advances in screening and treatment to physicians and other health care professionals. Through both professional education programs and community programs, we are educating the community about risk factors for colon cancer, possible symptoms of the disease, and encouraging people to adopt healthy behaviors that can reduce risk. Additionally we are working with physicians to increase the number of patients over 50 who receive routine screening for the disease.

Dr. Fried: And although 90 percent of cases are diagnosed in people over 50, people who share a personal or family history of colorectal cancer are also at risk and may need to be screened at a younger age and be screened more often. Knowing and sharing your medical history with your physician is another message stressed in our awareness campaign.

Overall the Colorectal Cancer Partnership seeks to reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer in Northern Virginia through education and screening.