In recognition of March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and to further raise awareness — and promote the importance of — early detection, the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Northern Michigan is providing free at-home screening kits throughout the month.
Through March 31, members of the Petoskey community can register for the free kit by calling (231) 487-3390 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Registration is required.
“Catching and identifying potentially cancerous tumors before the disease progresses allows our providers to be proactive in treatment and begin when the disease itself is at its most treatable,” said Gar Atchison, McLaren Northern Michigan President and CEO. “All screenings are designed to catch cancers at an early stage, increasing a treatment’s likelihood to be more effective and the patient achieving a favorable outcome. But it all begins with a screening and following recommended screening schedules.”
The early symptoms of colorectal cancer are often subtle and may not cause any discomfort initially, placing greater importance on following a screening schedule.
Designed to identify precancerous polyps so they can be removed before they potentially become more severe, the American Cancer Society recommends that people living with an average risk for colorectal cancer start regular screenings at age 45. These screenings range from the non-invasive, such as an annual stool exam, to visual exams through a colonoscopy procedure, which is typically recommended every 10 years.
Doctors may recommend a more frequent screening schedule for those patients with a family history of colorectal cancer or factors that may increase their risk for developing the cancer, such as a history of inflammatory bowel disease, screening may need to start earlier or be conducted more frequently.
These subtle symptoms of early-stage colorectal cancer can include:
Changing bowel habits
Blood in the stool
Persistent constipation or diarrhea
Sensation that the bowel does not completely empty
Unexplained weight loss
Consistent cramps or gas pains
Visit mclaren.org/appointments to book an appointment a McLaren Northern Michigan primary care provider to discuss a recommended colorectal cancer screening schedule.
Learn more about benefits of cancer care at the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Northern Michigan at mclaren.org/northerncancer.
About McLaren Northern Michigan
McLaren Northern Michigan is a 202-bed regional referral center located in Petoskey, serving residents in 22 counties across northern Lower Michigan and the eastern part of the Upper Peninsula. More than 230 physicians represent nearly all medical and surgical specialties, enabling full-service care with an emphasis on cardiology, cancer, orthopedics and neurosciences. McLaren Northern Michigan is a certified Primary Stroke Center, as designated by the Joint Commission. The hospital has a network of primary care providers and specialty care clinics throughout the region, and an outpatient surgery center in Cheboygan. Learn more at mclaren.org/northernmichigan.
About McLaren Health Care
McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is a $7.3 billion, fully integrated health care delivery system committed to quality, evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system includes 12 hospitals in Michigan, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 640-member employed primary and specialty care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 732,838 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health, infusion and hospice providers, pharmacy services, a clinical laboratory network and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren operates Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Karmanos Cancer Institute, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. McLaren has 20,000 full-, part-time and contracted employees and more than 113,000 network providers throughout Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Learn more at mclaren.org.