Smart Talk Tuesday, March 24, 2015

One in twenty people will develop colon cancer at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, colon cancer has the second-highest cancer death rate in Pennsylvania. The good news is that there are preventative measures that can be taken to reduce the risk.

Family history makes a difference but so do diet, physical activity, and smoking and alcohol use.

Many people may feel nervous about having invasive preventative tests, but with the right lifestyle habits and regular screenings, colon cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and doctors all over our local region are encouraging their patients to get screened for colon cancer.

On this episode of Smart Talk, physicians Dr. Ray Hohl, director of Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, and Dr. Walter Koltun, chief of the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, will discuss the causes, risk factors, symptoms, treatments and what we're learning about colon cancer.

Dr. Walter Koltun and Dr. Ray Holh

(Hanover) -- More than 20 years ago, Lynn Eib was a busy, young mother to three small daughters. Then, her doctor delivered some devastating news: She had stage III colon cancer. Now, Eib's cancer-free and working as a cancer patient advocate to help others who are going through what she once did.

“I don’t need to go to the doctor.  I’m fine.”  Isn’t that the script we often hear from men about our health and our need for medical services?  And, this is the first hurdle to overcome when talking about men’s health issues.

(Chester, PA) -- The National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health estimates that more than 50,000 Americans will die from colorectal cancer this year, and another 143,000 cases are expected to be diagnosed. March also marks National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and we'd like to encourage you to become proactive about your health and learn more about ways to detect and prevent colorectal cancer.  Your family history plays a large role in your risk for the disease, as your risk increases if a family member had colon cancer.  So, this month, take a positive step towards being healthy, educate yourself, start talking to your family, and share what you've learned.

A new study suggests that the 6 to 10 percent of Americans who use prescription sleep medications such as Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata are more likely to develop cancer, and far more likely to die prematurely, compared to those who take no sleep aids.

Lynn Eib works as a patient advocate in Hanover, PA offering emotional and spiritual support to cancer patients and their caregivers. She knows a thing or two about what cancer patients are going through. That’s because she is a cancer survivor herself.

A special group of cancer survivors look forward to what life has in store for them.  And, many hope to use their own wisdom to help others navigate their experience with facing cancer.  Watch this video for inspiration and please let us know what you’re looking forward to in a comment.

Dr. Roald Hempling, the Director of Oncology Services at WellSpan Health in York, PA, weighs in on some of the myths surrounding breast cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer and prostate cancer.

The Facing Cancer Together  tagline is, "Connecting Stories, Connecting Lives.”  What we've learned since the initiative began last Spring is those diagnosed with cancer battle through their treatments and the changes in their lives with support from family, friends and the doctors and nurses who treat them.  Making connections is a large part of that support.