Michael A. Goebel, MD, discusses the importance of colon cancer screenings
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death in both men and women in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.
To raise awareness and improve screening rates in the Pine Belt, Hattiesburg Clinic gastroenterologists provided colon cancer screenings at no cost for prequalified patients during their fourth annual event.
Michael A. Goebel, MD, with Hattiesburg Clinic Gastroenterology, spoke with WDAM after the event to discuss the importance of colon cancer screenings and more details from the annual event.
“The important thing about colorectal cancer screening is that it is a preventative screening test. Even if you have no symptoms, we can detect potentially cancerous polyps and typically remove them the same day,” Goebel said. “That is our goal to find polyps and remove those before they cause problems. That’s how we prevent colon cancer. That’s how we save lives.”
While CDC recommends regular screenings beginning at age 45, Goebel indicated that some patients may need to be screened earlier than the recommended age due to increased risk.
“Your physician can guide you if you are at an increased risk,” Goebel added. “If you have a family history of colon cancer, if you have inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, or if you’ve had polyps before, those are going to increase your risk.”
Out of the 19 patients screened at the event, 74% had polyps and 39 polyps were removed.
Follow the link to watch the full interview and learn more about Gastroenterology’s 4th Annual Colon Cancer Screening Event: https://www.wdam.com/2023/02/26/hattiesburg-clinic-hosts-4th-annual-colon-cancer-screening-event/
