Colorectal cancer screening in Steamboat Springs and surrounding areas lags as compared to more urban regions, and local medical professionals want residents to take advantage of screening methods that save lives.

“Lately, I have seen one to two new cases of colorectal cancer each week,” said Dr. Daniel Langer, a board-certified gastroenterologist and member of the medical staff at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center. “There are several screening methods available that can make a huge difference to your health – educate yourself, talk to your doctor and don’t delay taking advantage of these valuable medical tools.”

Sobering statistics

According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the second-most common cause of cancer deaths when numbers for men and women are combined, causing an estimated 53,000 deaths this year.

Estimates for the number of colorectal cancers in the United States for 2025 are:

• About 107,320 new cases of colon cancer (54,510 in men and 52,810 in women)
• About 46,950 new cases of rectal cancer (27,950 in men and 19,000 in women)

The death rate for older adults has declined over the past few decades, likely because of increased screening that leads to detection and removal of pre-cancerous colorectal polyps before they develop into cancers.

Unfortunately, for people under 55, the death rate has increased by about 1 percent per year for the past 25 years.

In Routt and Moffat counties, about five residents are diagnosed annually with colorectal cancer. While there isn’t exact data on the number of deaths from colorectal cancer in the area, the number of residents who die from the disease in rural Colorado counties is 19% higher than in urban areas.

Even more concerning is that the area’s screening rate is just 63%. This means about 4,200 residents are missing the potentially life-saving opportunity to prevent or detect the disease early.

Who should be screened and when?

In 2021, national screening guidelines were updated to recommend that someone with no risk factors should have their first colonoscopy at age 45 instead of age 50. If there are other risk factors such as family history, then screening should begin at an earlier age, often age 40 or 10 years earlier than the age at which their first-degree family member was diagnosed, whichever comes first.

But people of all ages, even those in their 20s and 30s, need to pay attention to the potential symptoms of colorectal cancer and see their primary care physician if they experience:

• Changes in bowel habits
• Unintentional weight loss