Meriter-UnityPoint Health now offering options for colon cancer screening

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 29, 2014

Contact:

Jessika Kasten

Marketing Manager, Meriter–UnityPoint Health

Meriter-UnityPoint Health Now Offering Options for Colon Cancer Screening
Meriter partners with Cologuard in effort to get more patients screened

MADISON, Wis. – Meriter-UnityPoint Health today announced that it is offering Cologuard^®, the first and only FDA approved noninvasive stool DNA screening test for colorectal cancer.

Cologuard analyzes a person’s stool to detect both altered DNA and blood known to be associated with colorectal cancer and precancer. Cologuard has been proven to find 92 percent of colorectal cancers in average risk patients with 87 percent specificity. Unlike many other screening options, Cologuard does not require medication, dietary restrictions or bowel preparation prior to taking the test.

“At Meriter, our patients come first. When we have opportunities to get more people screened for a preventable disease like colon cancer, it’s our duty to make that option available to our patients,” said Meriter Medical Group President Dr. Robert Turngren. “There’s no better screening test than the colonoscopy – and that will always be our first recommendation. But for those who are not willing to have a colonoscopy, this is a non-invasive option to provide them. We’re here to prevent illness and save lives.”

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cancer-related cause of death in the United States. It is often considered the most avoidable, yet least prevented cancer due to the lack of patient compliance with current screening options. Most colorectal cancers develop slowly over several years. Unfortunately, 23 million Americans aged 50 and over do not get screened as recommended.

Talk to your doctor about your risk for colorectal cancer and which screening option is right for you. Cologuard is not a replacement for diagnostic colonoscopy or surveillance colonoscopy in high-risk individuals. Both false positives and false negatives do occur with Cologuard. Any positive should be followed by a diagnostic colonoscopy.

About Meriter–UnityPoint Health

Meriter–UnityPoint Health provides comprehensive, coordinated care to patients throughout the Greater Madison area through our clinics, hospital and home care services. Employing more than 3,500 people, Meriter offers primary and specialty care, including heart and vascular, orthopedics, women’s health, and the busiest birthing center in Wisconsin. Meriter is a 2014 recipient of the National Research Corporations’Top Rated Pediatric Doctors award and a four-time winner of the Most Wired award. For more information, visit meriter.com.