Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, after lung/bronchus cancer. In 2002, a total of 139,534 adults in the United States had colorectal cancer diagnosed, and 56,603 adults died from colorectal cancer. The impact of colorectal cancer can be lessened through regular screening, which has been shown to reduce incidence and mortality. CDC directly supports National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month through its Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Control Initiative, which includes "Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign" (SFL), research related to colorectal cancer prevention and control, and activities aimed at increasing colorectal cancer screening. CDC and other public health agencies encourage all persons aged >50 years in the United States to discuss colorectal cancer screening options with their health-care providers. Health consumers can learn more about preventing colorectal cancer through routine screening by becoming familiar with the SFL campaign, which is designed to provide clear and concise information about colorectal cancer screening to adults aged >50 years. Additional information regarding the SFL campaign and CDC's national colorectal cancer prevention programs is available at http://www.cdc.gov/colorectalcancer.