Colon cancer: men need to take precautions earlier

Lisa Vogel studied departmental journalism with a focus on medicine and biosciences at Ansbach University and deepened her journalistic knowledge in the master's degree in multimedia information and communication. This was followed by a traineeship in the editorial team. Since September 2020 she has been writing as a freelance journalist for

More posts by Lisa Vogel All content is checked by medical journalists.

The earlier colon cancer is detected, the better the chances of recovery. But the Germans are still grumpy about preventive care and the majority of them avoid early diagnosis examinations. With two innovations, the legislature now wants to encourage more people to take precautionary measures.

From the age of 50, every insured person is entitled to an annual free examination for hidden blood in the stool, and from the age of 55 to a colonoscopy every ten years. So the regulations so far. But the offers often remain unused: only around 20 to 30 percent of the insured use them, writes the German Cancer Information Service.

Men should take precautionary measures even earlier

Probably in April 2019, the age for the first colonoscopy in men will be reduced to 50 years - because they often fall ill before the age of 55. "This will certainly further reduce the number of illnesses - provided the men take advantage of the offer," says Professor Jürgen Riemann, internist, gastroenterologist and chairman of the LebensBlicke Foundation.

Reminder by mail

So that the men - and of course all women over 55 - really use the early detection appointments, a letter is expected to flutter into the house from July 2019 and remind them in a friendly manner. The basis for this is the new Cancer Early Detection Register Act. "This means that for the first time in Germany there is also a personal invitation procedure for the examinations," said Riemann.

Questions about pensions? Experts answer on the phone!

But why are the Germans such a precautionary grouch at all? "In our experience, the colonoscopy is still fraught with fears and concerns," says Dr. Susanne Weg-Remers, Head of the Cancer Information Service and the German Cancer Research Center. She wants to improve the education.

That is why doctors from the Cancer Information Service and the LebensBlicke Foundation will be providing advice on the phone on March 7th and 8th, 2019. From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., the experts answer all questions about colon cancer and preventive care options on the free phone number 0800 420 30 40. They want to take away people's fears and motivate them to take precautionary measures.

Prevention saves lives

Colon cancer is insidious. A malignant tumor can gradually develop from benign growths of the intestinal mucosa. These so-called adenomas are noticed during a colonoscopy and can be removed in good time. The German Cancer Information Service estimates that around 180,000 cancers have been prevented since the introduction of the statutory early detection of bowel cancer.

Cancer of the colon, rectum and anus are grouped under the term colon cancer. Every year more than 60,000 people in Germany develop one of these types of cancer. Men are affected slightly more often than women. In 2014, more than 25,500 people in Germany died of colon cancer.

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