By Nancy Dickenson
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, occurs equally in men and women. Colorectal cancer is both preventable and curable, yet more people die from it in the United States than die from either breast or prostate cancer.
The key to survival is regular screening and early treatment when diagnosed. Because it is a cancer with vague symptoms and a subject many people are embarrassed to talk about, colorectal cancer often goes undetected and untreated.
There are a number of excellent resources available to help people understand colorectal cancer - the importance of screening, early diagnosis and available treatment options. One book, “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Colorectal Cancer” (Warner Books, 2004) provides just that information. The author, Mark Bennett Pochapin, M.D., a recognized colon cancer specialist, is a strong advocate of regular screening for colorectal cancer. The book’s forward is written by “Today” show host Katie Couric, whose husband died of the disease at age 42. Since then, she has become a leading spokesperson advocating colorectal cancer prevention. When she had a colonoscopy on morning television there was a 20 percent increase in colonoscopy screening nationwide.
The book begins by telling the “truth about colorectal cancer” and progresses through prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment and “living well after colorectal cancer.” At the end of the book, there are useful chapters that include a glossary, a treatment log and a list of resources where readers can find information.
“Understanding Colon Cancer,” by Richard Adrouny, M.D., (University Press of Mississippi, 2002), is another book that aims to inform the general reader about the reality of colon cancer. Only 123 pages long, it is jam-packed with valuable information. Readers will walk away with a good understanding of who gets colon cancer, how it develops, how to prevent it and how to find out if you have it, stages and prognosis of the disease, surgical and medical treatment and forecasts for the future.
A video featuring Stanford physician George Fisher, M.D., “New Tests, New Treatments, Better Outcomes for Patients for Colorectal Cancer” (DVD and videotape, Stanford Health Video Library, 2004), provides an excellent discussion of recent advances in diagnostic capability, surgical techniques and chemotherapy. “Colon Cancer: the power of prevention” (DVD, Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 2003) is a video that discusses risk factors, the value of preventive measures and screening methods.
These books and videos are on the shelves of the Stanford Health Library, along with many more excellent resources on colorectal cancer. Online, you will find colon cancer information at: http://healthlibrary.stanford.edu/resources/internet/bodysystems/cancer_colorectal.html.
For help learning more about the disease, visit, call or e-mail the Stanford Health Library. Call the Health Library at 725-8400 or e-mail healthlibrary@stanfordmed.org.
Nancy Dickenson is manager of library services at Stanford Health Library. She can be reached at 736-1713.
