Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer can affect anyone. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in Alabama. If you are 45 or older, get screened for colorectal cancer. Ask your doctor about screening options for colorectal cancer, including the new take-home test called FIT or iFOBT. If you are at high risk for colorectal cancer, you may need to be screened more frequently. Read more on screening and testing.

In 2025, over 154,270 new cases and 52,900 deaths are projected for colorectal cancer in the United States, making it the second-leading cause of cancer death when men and women are combined. Colorectal cancer is preventable and often treatable, with a 91% five-year survival rate for localized diagnoses versus 14% for late-stage cases, highlighting the importance of regular screening for individuals at average risk, particularly those aged 45 and over.  

The Alabama CRC Prevention Program

The Alabama CRC Prevention Program's goals include:

• promoting U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) screening guidelines and quality assurance standards for CRC screening;
• improving health system protocols to emphasize routine CRC screening as the standard of care;
• reducing barriers in patient access to CRC screening;
• establishing standing orders in primary care practices to increase availability of the high sensitivity fecal immunochemical test (FIT); and
• educating patients about easier ways to be screened for CRC.

For more of our goals and objectives, see the Logic Model for the FITWAY Program.