Oklahoma Trails Nation In Colon Cancer Screenings

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A recent report suggests Oklahomans trail the national average when it comes to screenings for colon cancer.<br/><br/>Colon cancer is the state's second-deadliest cancer, behind

Thursday, January 25th 2007, 11:10 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A recent report suggests Oklahomans trail the national average when it comes to screenings for colon cancer.

Colon cancer is the state's second-deadliest cancer, behind only lung cancer, yet about half of Oklahomans older than 50 have never been tested for it.

According to a report from the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the national average in 2004 was 55 percent. The average for Oklahoma and the six other lowest-ranking states was 47 percent.

With proper screenings, some experts say cases can be reduced by more than half.

They recommend that people who are at least 50 should have an examination every decade.

The most common procedure is a colonoscopy, where a doctor examines the large intestine on video using a long, flexible tube.