Colon Cancer Screenings Up in NJ, Detection is Later

Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in New Jersey.  While 65 percent of New Jerseyans over the age of 50 have been screened, 57 percent of colorectal cancers in the Garden State are being detected at a later stage.

When detected early, the five-year survival rate is 90 percent.  After the cancer has spread regionally to involve adjacent organs or lymph nodes, the five-year survival rate drops to 68 percent which is why screening is so important.

Tune in tomorrow when Surgical Oncologist Dr. Arnold Baskies, President of the American Cancer Society of New York and New Jersey weighs in on the issue and discusses statistics for New Jersey.