Prevention, Risk and Screening »Risk Assessment at Fox Chase »Gastrointestinal Cancer

Each year more than 145,000 patients are diagnosed with colorectal cancer and about 57,000 a year die from this disease. Colorectal cancer is therefore the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

In addition, each year almost 22,000 Americans are diagnosed with stomach cancer and about 12,000 die of this disease annually. Approximately 30,000 Americans a year develop pancreatic cancer and almost as many die of it. Cigarette smoking is the major risk factor for stomach and pancreatic cancers. Twice as many smokers as nonsmokers develop one of these cancers.

As with most adult cancers, the risk increases with age. Late diagnosis is responsible for the high death rates from these cancers. Regular screening for colon and rectal cancers is important since they are curable if detected early.

For more information about the Gastrointestinal Tumor Risk Assessment Program and to learn if you are eligible, please call us at 215-728-7041.