March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month! But wait... Isn't our organization for gynecological cancers? Yes, but did you know that types of colon cancer is hereditary and the gene could be related to ovarian and endometrial cancer?

If you or a family member has had colon cancer the risk of you developing it is high. But it also raises your risk of developing breast, endometrial or ovarian cancer.

There is a gene mutation called Hereditary Non- polyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC). People that have HNPCC have an 80% chance of developing colon cancer in their lifetime and their chances of getting ovarian cancer raises by 10% and endometrial cancer by 60%.

It is important to identify if your family has these genes so you can take important precautions to reduce your risk or prevent cancer from developing. A clinical diagnoses of HNPCC can be made when:

1. 3 or more family members have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer or other HNPCC cancer.
2. Cancer affecting two successive generations.
3. One person is a first degree relative ( parent, child, sibling) of the two.
4. At least one case of cancer is under the age of 50.
5. The reported case of cancer has been verified by a pathology report.

Know your families history! It could save your life.