Taking on Colon Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), colorectal cancer is the fourth most prevalent cancer in the United States
and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. UPMC McKeesport encourages adults to follow the ACS’s revised guidelines,
which now recommend adults at average risk of colorectal cancer start routine screening at 50 years of age using a high
sensitivity stool test or a structural screening, such as a fl exible sigmoidoscopy, CT colonography, or colonoscopy.
Some stool tests check for blood in the stool, while stool DNA tests check for cancer cells. In a structural screening,
the doctor can see and remove cancers inside the rectum and colon — as well as detect and remove polyps that could
eventually develop into cancer.
Each has pros and cons, so no one test is right for everyone. Talk to your doctor to determine the screening that’s best for you.
You should have regular colorectal screenings if you:
• Are over the age of 50
• Are African American and over the age of 45
• Have a family history of colon cancer or polyps
• Have a personal history of receiving radiation to the stomach or pelvic area for a prior cancer
• Have a personal history of infl ammatory bowel disease
• Have a confi rmed or suspected hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome
• Have any of these risk factors:
- Heavy alcohol use
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Type II diabetes
To learn more about colorectal screenings or to make an appointment with UPP Surgery at UPMC McKeesport,
please call 412-672-3422.
Extinguishing Lung Cancer
Lung cancer screening with a low-dose CT scan is a lifesaving tool, allowing early diagnosis of lung cancer in current and former
smokers at risk for the disease. Lung cancer is often called a silent disease, frequently not showing symptoms until the disease is
advanced. Early detection results in higher cure rates and often less invasive therapies. Despite the benefi ts of early detection,
lung cancer screening is often not used by patients who need it most.
The UPMC Lung Cancer Screening Program at UPMC McKeesport off ers you easy access to testing. Screening CT scans take only
a few minutes, and results are reviewed by our highly trained, board-certifi ed radiologists. The test is painless, non-invasive, and
requires only a fraction of the radiation exposure of conventional scans.
And if your scan is abnormal, you can count on the comprehensive cancer care resources of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
network — including UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC McKeesport — to support you.
To be eligible for lung cancer screening you must:
• Be between 55-77 years of age (some commercial insurers cover until age 80; check with your insurance provider)
• Have a 30 pack-year history of smoking (for example, smoking one pack a day for 30 years or two packs a day for 15 years)
• Be a current smoker or have quit smoking within the past 15 years
• Not currently receiving treatment for cancer
• Be referred by your doctor
To learn more about lung cancer screening or to make an appointment at the UPMC Cancer Center at UPMC McKeesport,
please call 412-664-2607.
For more information, please visit
UPMCMcKeesport.com