Q U I C KN O T E

I just wanted to remind everyone that taking a baby aspirin, or 81mg per day, helps lower the risk of colon cancer by 30%.

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Cancer.org

Screening still crucial

One proven method for preventing colon cancer is to get screened for the disease. "It is still very important to get screened for colorectal cancer so that colorectal polyps can be detected and removed before they ever turn into cancer," says Eric Jacobs, PhD, strategic director of epidemiology at the American Cancer Society.

The American Cancer Society recommends regular colon cancer screening for men and women starting at age 50. People who are at a higher-than-average risk of the disease (such as those with a family history of colon cancer) may need to begin getting tested earlier, or have more frequent tests.

That goes even for people who take aspirin regularly for other reasons, Jacobs notes. "Aspirin use will not prevent most cases of colorectal cancer."