Colon cancer screening rates remain low

HealthDay/Washington Post, July 15, 2008

Only half of U.S. men and women older than 50 are getting screened for colorectal cancer, according to a report. However, the current rate of screening is an improvement from the 43% who received the tests in 2000, the researchers noted. Insurance coverage may be part of the problem: Only 24% of people lacking health insurance had colorectal cancer screening compared with more than 50% of insured Americans.