WASHINGTON (Cox News Service) -- At a House briefing
Friday, American Cancer Society officials said deaths from colorectal cancer
could be reduced drastically if widespread early screening is implemented.
Medical officials also said that increasing colon cancer screening could
significantly cut long-term treatment costs for the Medicare population.
Colorectal cancer is the second most deadly form of the disease in the United
States, accounting for an estimated 52,180 deaths in 2007, according to the
American Cancer Society. Individuals over 50 are most at risk, accounting for 90
percent of the estimated total deaths this year.
Despite the overwhelming number of deaths, studies show that screening for colon
cancer can detect the disease at an early stage. The five-year survival rate for
someone diagnosed and treated early is 90 percent. However, when cancer is not
diagnosed until later stages, the five-year survival rate is only 10 percent.
Part of the problem, doctors say, is the high cost for yearly pre-screening,
which tends to keep people from getting tested regularly -- especially older
individuals on Medicare who need to get pre-screened the most.
Of the eight billion dollars spent on colon cancer in 2007, two thirds was
handled by the Medicare program.
Dr. Allen Dobson, a consultant for the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable,
who has done extensive research on the cost of colon cancer, called for
eliminating co-payments for colon cancer screening services, making it easier
for people who are uninsured and on Medicare to get proper screening.
"I say screen the daylight out of these folks," Dobson said.
"This is a slow moving disease which gives us plenty of time to catch it."
The colonoscopy screening program identifies pre-cancerous polyps. Colon cancer
takes approximately 10-12 years before it is untreatable, making it easy to
detect and treat early on.
In response to the recent studies, states have begun to address the problem of
under-utilization of colon cancer screening by passing legislation to ensure
that private health insurance plans cover all the methods available for colon
cancer screening. To date, 16 states and the District of Columbia have passed
such legislation, including Georgia and Texas.
But Dr. Laura Seeff, associate director for the office of colorectal cancer
programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, doesn't think the
current bills regarding colon screening are enough to solve the growing
problems.
Seeff proposed that priority be given in government-supported screening programs
to low-income or uninsured individuals over 50.
She also urged the elimination of the current co-pay Medicare beneficiaries for
colonoscopy services.
"There are a few things in life that are so clearly obvious," Seeff said. "Early
detection and pre-screening for colon cancer is definitely one of them."
Source : The Cox News Service.
