In all, only 46 percent had been checked for colon cancer as recommended, while nearly 70 percent were up-to-date with cervical cancer screening, and more than 82 percent had been getting their breasts checked like they should. Even among women who had had both mammograms and Pap smears regularly, only 51 percent had gotten their colons checked by colonoscopy or another test.
Still, women who had both mammograms and Pap smears as recommended were more than five times as likely to have had a colonoscopy or other colon cancer check as women who hadn't been getting breast or cervical tests. Even women who were up-to-date with either breast or cervical cancer screening, but not the other, were twice as likely to get a colon cancer screening as those who hadn't had either their breasts or cervix checked recently.
Women who had health insurance or a personal physician were more likely to have been screened for colon cancer, while women who described themselves as being in good health, and women who smoked, were less likely to go for colon screening.
The team found similar patterns when they looked at the records for all the women between the ages of 50 and 89 who had had mammograms at UMHS in 1998. Those results, presented at the ARRS meeting last week, showed that of 4,100 women, only 12 percent were current with their recommended colon cancer screening schedule at the time of their mammogram. Another three percent of the remainder went for a colon check sometime in the next few years.
"Screening mammogram is so accepted, we can use it as a teachable moment to educate women about colorectal cancer risk," says Carlos. "They've already accepted
'"/>
Contact: Kara Gavin
kegavin@umich.edu
734-764-2220
University of Michigan Health System
15-May-2004