By Michael G Beaulieu, MD
Medical Director, LMAS District Health Department
March is National Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Awareness Month, a time dedicated to preventing the second-deadliest cancer in the US. Many of us have already seen our awareness of CRC increase in 2026 due to news stories about several celebrities who have died from CRC since the beginning of this year.
Beloved actress Catherine O’Hara (Home Alone, Schitt’s Creek) died in January from a blood clot in her lung caused by CRC. The deaths in February of actor James Van Der Beek (Dawson’s Creek) and singer Brad Arnold of the band Three Doors Down from colon cancer were especially notable in that both men were only in their 40’s.
CRC in younger people has been increasing for the past few decades in the U.S. and other developed countries. The percentage of CRC occurring in people under 50 years old has more than doubled since 1990. Fortunately, there are things each of us can do to help prevent us from getting CRC.
The most important thing we can do is to get screened for CRC. Screening is getting tested for CRC. This can be done by such things as colonoscopies and stool tests. Because of the increase in CRC in younger people, it is now recommended to start screening at age 45. Before 2018, the recommended starting age was 50. Some people, such as myself, who have a family history of CRC may start even earlier. Screening is so effective that CRC death in people over 50 has decreased by 30% over the last 15 years. That is close to 20,000 lives saved every year!
Any primary care provider, such as your family doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant can help you figure out when you should be screened and help you get it done. Most every hospital in the Eastern UP offers colonoscopy, so this can be done without having to travel far from home. Some CRC screening, like stool tests, can be done easily in the privacy of your own home.
Another action that can be taken to prevent CRC is to follow the USDA Dietary Guidelines which include eating less ultra-processed foods which contain preservatives, sweeteners, and artificial colors and eating more high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole-grain foods.
Exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can both help prevent CRC by boosting the immune system and decreasing inflammation. These actions also help prevent heart disease, diabetes and many other deadly diseases.
Smoking causes colorectal cancer. Heavy use of alcohol does, also. Decreasing smoking and drinking can prevent CRC.
Many vitamins and supplements are being studied to see if they can prevent CRC. Vitamin D and calcium show some promise, but the evidence is not strong enough that we can say for sure that they prevent cancer. However, they do have other benefits to health such as making bones stronger and boosting the immune system, so these supplements are encouraged. So far there are no medications to prevent CRC, but we keep looking.
Use Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month to see if you can take one or more of the above actions not only to make your life longer, but to help you live each day being your strongest, healthiest you!
