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Show Hospital Head Urges Colorectal Testing Garfield County Memorial Hospital Administrator Wayne Ross stated Tuesady that a simple test now being sponsored by In-termountain In-termountain Health Care, in cooperation with the American Cancer Society, during the month of January, can very easily save many lives. Ross said that one Utahn dies every 53 hours of colorectal cancer cancer of the colon or rectum. He said it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the state and usually strikes people over 40. "No early warning symptoms , exist, except slight traces of blood in the stool," said Ross. He further stated that a person cannot see this blood, but a simple test, called a hemoccult (hidden blood) slide test can detect it, and when colorectal cancer is detected and treated in its earliest stage, its victims recover fully more than 75 percent of the time. The kit can be ordered free from Intermountain Health Care, Colorectal Cancer Screening Program, P.O. Box 11200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84147-20220. Ross recommends returning the kit for examination as soon as possible. Return postage is prepaid and the test results will be made available within 30 days. Ross added, "Remember, the test could save your life. It's simple and it's free." |