Patients and experts highlight the importance of colorectal cancer screening and prevention
CENTER VALLEY, Pa., April 2, 2025 -- As part of its corporate mission, Olympus Corporation of the Americas educates individuals and their families about the importance of preventive colorectal cancer (CRC) screenings through partnerships with patients, physicians, and non-profit patient advocacy organizations including the Colorectal Cancer Alliance (CCA).
During Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March, Olympus:
- Hosted a live-streamed panel discussion with patients, a physician expert and a patient navigator. View the event recording on YouTube.
- Sponsored the CCA Satellite Media Tour, which featured CRC epidemiologist Dr. Christine Molmenti and CRC survivor DeeDee West. The tour garnered 352 total hits with more than 5.8 million impressions.
- Supports the CCA's Colonoscopy Assistance Program, which covers screening colonoscopies for the uninsured. Last year, the program resulted in 45 screenings that found no polyps and 30 screenings with abnormal results that required polyp removal or further testing.
Colorectal Cancer Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment: Understanding Self-Advocacy
A history of acid reflux prevented Olympus employee Kathleen Wiltraut from undergoing a routine colonoscopy. Drinking all the liquid required to cleanse the colon for the procedure proved difficult, so she put it off.
Kathleen, who shared her personal story of strength and self-advocacy at the March 11 event, eventually took a home-screening test, which came back positive for colorectal cancer. Experiencing no symptoms, she initially dismissed the result as a false positive before finally scheduling her first colonoscopy at age 60.
"My family hounded me to get a colonoscopy and thankfully they did because I was diagnosed with Stage III rectal cancer," Kathleen said. "Don't put it off. Get screened."
Dr. Renee Williams, a panelist and gastroenterologist with NYU Langone Health, said to make sure you follow the instructions for your colonoscopy prep carefully.
"Performing a colonoscopy on a patient who isn't prepped well is like trying to drive with a dirty windshield," said Dr. Williams. "If we can't see the lining of your colon properly, we may miss things such as polyps or cancer. We will also have to ask you to reschedule your procedure, and then you have to repeat the prep process."
The Message Is Clear: Get Screened
While CRC rates overall have dropped since the mid-1980s, rates in people younger than 50 have increased about 2.4% annually from 2012 to 2021, according to the American Cancer Society.1
The message around the importance of screening is critical given the attitudes that persist about colonoscopy. This was the impetus for Dr. Molmenti and DeeDee West to give hours of interviews on the topic during the CCA Satellite Media Tour in New York City on March 4.
"When this disease is found early, there is a 91% five-year survival rate.2 This is only made possible by detecting cancer in its earliest stage or preventing it altogether through colonoscopy," said Dr. Molmenti. "You can't wait for symptoms. There are often no symptoms. Screening is our best tool to prevent this disease."
About Olympus
At Olympus, we are committed to Our Purpose of making people's lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling. As a global medical technology company, we partner with healthcare professionals to provide solutions and services for early detection, diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment, aiming to improve patient outcomes by elevating the standard of care in targeted disease states.
Olympus Corporation of the Americas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Olympus Corporation, is headquartered in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, USA, and employs more than 4,500 employees throughout locations in North and South America. For more information, visit olympusamerica.com.
1 American Cancer Society, "Key Statistics for Colorectal Cancer." Rev. Jan. 16, 2025
2 American Cancer Society, "Survival Rates for Colorectal Cancer." Rev. Jan. 16, 2025
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