With its sights set on increasing colorectal cancer screenings, the Kirkland Cancer Center is supporting the “80 percent by 2018 initiative,” led by the American Cancer Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, which was co-founded by the ACS and the CDC.

The goal is to have 80 percent of all adults age 50 and over to be regularly screened for colorectal cancer by 2018.

“March is always Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month,” Gina Myracle, executive director of the Kirkland Cancer said. “Colorectal cancer is a major health problem (and) it is the second leading cause of cancer death, and a cause for considerable suffering among more than 140,000 adults diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year.”

Myracle joined medical administrators and physicians during a press conference at the Kirkland Cancer Center, Wednesday.

While colorectal cancer incidence rates have dropped 30 percent in the United States during the past decade among adults age 50 and older, it remains the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the nation, despite being highly preventable, detectable and treatable.

James Ross, interim CEO of West Tennessee Healthcare, said it was a privilege for WTH to participate.

“We have screening technologies that work, and our organizations will work together to empower communities, patients, and providers with the information and access to complete needed care from screening through testament and long-term follow-up.”

Ross said WTH embraced the shared goal of 80 percent of those aged 50 and older being screened regularly by 2018.

“We also share in the spirit of the effort to save as many lives as we can from colorectal cancer and work strategically to reverse this trend in the under 50 population as well,” Ross said.

(PHOTO: From left – Dr. Joel Levien, Dr. Mihir Patel, Gina Myracle, James Ross, Darrell King and Dr. Brittain Little)

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