Early diagnosis and prevention of colon and rectal cancer
At the beginning of 2014, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) – specialized agency of the World Health Organization (WHO) – announced the publication of the book World Cancer Report 2014, which was created based on the cooperation of more than 250 of the leading oncology experts from more than 40 countries around the world. The latest World Cancer Report deals with many aspects of cancer research and the fight against cancer. Using the latest statistics describing global trends in incidence and mortality of cancer, the IARC’s new report shows that the cancer burden is growing at breakneck speed; at the same time, it emphasizes the need to promote effective prevention strategies, as soon as possible, which would preclude further increase.
Colon cancer is the most common malignant disease in our country and its incidence is on the rise. Although thanks to the years of persistent efforts of the Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation VIZE 97, the public is more effectively warned of the dangers of this dangerous disease, the Czech Republic is still one of the leaders in mortality in the world. Each year, approximately 8,000 persons are diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer in the Czech Republic.
Preventive measures include a varied diet and regular physical activity. On the contrary, risk factors include drinking alcohol, smoking and stress. However, even a healthy lifestyle does not guarantee that the disease will not appear. Therefore, after a certain age it is important to regularly visit the doctor preventively, who can use a fast and simple test to exclude the presence of blood in the stool, which may indicate the occurrence of colorectal cancer.
Shame and fear of illness supported by the lack of information on the topic often prevents the public from visiting a medical facility. Even Mrs. Dagmar Havlová, Chairwoman of the Board of the Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation VIZE 97, has realized this sad fact. Therefore, she has decided to focus her attention on informing the public of this dangerous form of cancer and under ongoing financial support of medical facilities, the Foundation VIZE 97 has chosen this program as a priority of its work in the health and social fields.
Several versions of television commercials have been created, in which celebrities urge viewers to visit their doctor. The Foundation VIZE 97 decided to continue building on this successful cooperation with Czech TV in 2014 as well and the result was the filming of a new commercial at the Prague Crossroads. You can take a look at the commercial here.
Moreover, for the second year now the Foundation has been working on the Kolorektum.cz project, in which experts and representatives of several groups (including non-profit and patient organizations) strive to join forces towards common activities in this field. One of the greatest successes of this group led by the Ministry of Health and the Institute of Biostatistics and Analyses under the Masaryk University in Brno was the launch of direct invitation, thus sending invitations for preventive examinations directly to the hands of groups of citizens at risk. You can read more about this project and direct invitation here.
Another long-term activity is the distribution of information leaflets in the waiting rooms of general practitioners’ or the broadcasting of commercials to patients waiting for their examination (you can download the leaflet here), cooperation with Dr. Max pharmacies within “Health Week” and various other activities.
The Early Diagnosis and Prevention of Colorectal Cancer Project is supported by:
