‘Everyone over 50 needs their colon checked’

Couric:  You brought up women, because the American Cancer Society has a very cute public service announcement out right now that shows a woman literally on her husband's back.  Well, we think they may be actors.  But basically, you know, staying on someone's back to make sure they get screened for colon cancer.  I'm so happy that the American Cancer Society has made colon cancer a top priority.  On the other hand, maybe they need to do another one with a man on a woman's back, right?

Gerberding:  Absolutely.

Couric:  Because a lot of women think this is a man's disease, and that is definitely not the case. It’s projected in 2005, 73,470 women will be diagnosed and 71,820 men.

Gerberding:  More women than men.

Couric: That's right. So women really need to pay attention. Why do you think they don't get screened? Is it because they're taking care of everyone else except themselves?

Gerberding:  Dr. Mom is often out there worrying about the kids or the spouse or the parents and doesn't take the time to take care of herself.

Couric:  But they are getting pap smears, they are getting mammograms.  I think 82 percent of women 25 [years-old] and older say they've had a pap smear during the previous three years.  Women over [age] 40, 70 percent have had mammograms over the past two years.  So this needs to be considered a critical test, just a no-brainer for women over 50, right?

Gerberding:  Absolutely. It should just be bundled together with the other kinds of prevention screening that women routinely have.

Couric:  I know that you were screened because your gynecologist, right said, “Julie, you need to look at this.” You have a family history, right?

Gerberding:  I do, my uncle had colon cancer. I was so lucky because my gynecologist said, “You know, you're 49, you're close to the screening age anyway, I think you should have this done,” and it turned out I had 10 polyps.

Couric:  You can't predict which polyps might become cancerous.

Gerberding:  Absolutely.

Couric:  That's why you have to nip it in the bud, or the butt, A-S-A-P right, Julie?

Gerberding:  Absolutely.

Couric:  Finally, there are a lot of new tests that are being researched, like a DNA stool test, for example, a virtual colonoscopy. Do you still consider a colonoscopy the gold standard?

Gerberding:  Well, there are four screening tests, including colonoscopy and some of these new tests are promising, but they're not yet approved.

Couric: We have colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, fecal occult blood test and double contrast barium enema. More doctors need to go into gastroenterology, don't they, to deal with the demand for screening.

Gerberding:  I hope so.  I mean, I think we know we can do more screening now with what resources we have, but we will need to scale up if we're really going to get this national.

Couric:  Well, thanks so much, Julie Gerberding, for joining forces with us.

Gerberding:  I’m delighted to be a part of this.

Couric:  Thank everyone at the CDC. We so appreciate it.

Gerberding: Thank you.

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