Regional Medical Center | Thrive for Life | Fall 2015

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THERE MIGHT BE a thousand things you’d rather do than get
screened for colorectal cancer. But if you’re 50 or older, it’s time to say
yes to a test. Why? Consider these four reasons:
1 Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the U.S.
Getting screened helps you avoid becoming part of that statistic.
2 Screening can spot cancer early, when it’s easiest to treat. If you
wait for symptoms to develop, the disease is likely to be in an
advanced state.
3 Screening may prevent cancer. That’s because most cases of
colorectal cancer start as a growth (polyp) inside the colon. Some
screening tests allow a doctor to find and remove these growths before
they become cancerous.
4 Colorectal cancer can run in families. If your test reveals polyps or
cancer, your children or other close relatives may be at a higher risk
for the disease. Knowing that, they may choose to get screened sooner
than age 50, which can reduce their chances of developing the disease.
Polyps often take as many
as 10 to 15 years to develop
into colorectal cancer. Regular
screening can prevent many
cases of colorectal cancer by
finding and removing certain
types of polyps.
“In the U.S., colorectal cancer is
the third most common cancer di-
agnosed in both men and women,
excluding skin cancers,” says
Mohamed Eloubeidi, MD, gastro-
enterologist at Regional Medical
Center. “Regular screenings and
colonoscopies are extremely
effective in prevention and in
early detection, when colorectal
cancer is highly curable.”
PREVENTION
Say
yes
to a test
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Don’t wait
to get screened
To schedule your screening
with a physician at RMC,
visit and
click on “Physician Finder”
for complete information on
these physicians specializing
in gastroenterology:
● ● Mohamed Eloubeidi, MD
● ● James S. Hixon, MD
● ● Donald C. Rosen, MD
● ● Vijayaprasad Tummala, MD
possible causes of sore-throat
pain.
If lab tests confirm strep
throat, your doctor will prob-
ably prescribe an antibiotic.
Unfortunately, sore throats are
often caused by viruses, which
do not respond to antibiotics.
See your doctor if your sore
throat doesn’t get better after
about a week or if you have
trouble breathing or swallow-
ing, an earache, a rash or a
fever.
Acute bronchitis
Some of the same germs that
cause colds and the flu can
also lead to acute bronchitis,
an infection of the tubes that
carry air to the lungs. When
these tubes become inflamed,
they swell and mucus forms
inside, making it hard to
breathe.
Symptoms include coughing—
which may produce clear,
yellow or green mucus—
wheezing, chest tightness and
a mild fever.
Acute bronchitis usually
goes away on its own. Be sure
to get plenty of rest and fluids.
Consider OTC medicines if you
have a fever.
Some people feel better
after breathing in steam or air
from a humidifier. If you smoke,
you’ll heal faster if you quit.
See a doctor if the cough or
wheezing continues for more
than two weeks, if coughing
produces blood, or if you feel
weak or have a high fever.
Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians; Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention; National Institutes
of Health
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