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In honor of colon cancer awareness month, Hanover Township and Dr. Brian Muska, gastroenternologist at St. Alexius Medical Center, performed colonoscopies on 13 at-risk, uninsured Hanover Township residents on Saturday March 5 that could prove to be life-saving.
According to Muska, one of the 13 patients tested positive for cancer, while several others had colorectal polyps removed.
In the case of the cancer patient, Muska said his prognosis looks good because it was caught early.
“If he had not come within the next year, he would have had quite a big problem,” Muska said.
Trish Simon, director of community health at Hanover Township, said this was the first time the township offered free screenings. About 100 residents filled out surveys several months ago to determine if they qualified for the procedure. About 20 of those were pre-screened a few weeks ago at Muska’s office, and the field was narrowed to 13.
To qualify, residents had to be uninsured and deemed at-risk, which includes being over 60, being of African- American descent or having a family history of colon cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.
Muska said men with normal colonoscopies should be tested once every 10 years, while at-risk patients or those with abnormal results should be tested every five years.
Both Muska and Simon they hope to hold another free screening by the end of the year.
In honor of colon cancer awareness month, Hanover Township and Dr. Brian Muska, gastroenternologist at St. Alexius Medical Center, performed colonoscopies on 13 at-risk, uninsured Hanover Township residents on Saturday March 5 that could prove to be life-saving.
According to Muska, one of the 13 patients tested positive for cancer, while several others had colorectal polyps removed.
In the case of the cancer patient, Muska said his prognosis looks good because it was caught early.
“If he had not come within the next year, he would have had quite a big problem,” Muska said.
Trish Simon, director of community health at Hanover Township, said this was the first time the township offered free screenings. About 100 residents filled out surveys several months ago to determine if they qualified for the procedure. About 20 of those were pre-screened a few weeks ago at Muska’s office, and the field was narrowed to 13.
To qualify, residents had to be uninsured and deemed at-risk, which includes being over 60, being of African- American descent or having a family history of colon cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.
Muska said men with normal colonoscopies should be tested once every 10 years, while at-risk patients or those with abnormal results should be tested every five years.
Both Muska and Simon they hope to hold another free screening by the end of the year.
