Make Sure to Schedule Your Screening for Colorectal Cancer

Cancer Prevention Segment 03-2026

Matt Brooks: [00:00:00] Matt Brooks here on X101 Always Classic in for another Cancer Prevention Segment with the CSP program of Cayuga Cortland and Tompkins Counties. And with me in the studio again, Courtney Maxon, Senior Public Health Educator from the Cortland County Health Department. How’s it going, Courtney and how’s your March going?

Courtney Maxson: It’s going great. Thanks.

Matt Brooks: Now, uh, we got a, a very particular type of cancer that we’re gonna be talking about. It’s Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and if you weren’t aware last month, we unfortunately lost actor James Van Der Beek. If you watched Dawson’s Creek, you, you know who this guy is. And he was actually only 48 years old and passed away from colon cancer.

So, Courtney, tell me about this one. I know it, you can get screened for it and it’s a thing you should regularly screen for as well.

Courtney Maxson: Yes. So, um, colorectal cancer is a screening cancer that we actually screen for, for Cancer Services Program, but yes, uh, starting at 45 men and women. It’s no longer 50, it’s [00:01:00] 45.

Get screened for colorectal cancer, and um, also sooner if you have a family history, if you have mom, dad, brother, sister, or a child that is, has been diagnosed with colon cancer, you are, uh, at increased risk.

Matt Brooks: And the big thing is that if caught early, this is quite a treatable cancer, correct?

Courtney Maxson: Yes, it is.

Um, so definitely having those regular screenings. Um, there are take home kits that can be done from a doctor’s office or, uh, a colonoscopy, uh, starting at age 45 or sooner if your doctor thinks that’s necessary.

Matt Brooks: And I know it can be an awkward type of test and awkward thing to talk about with your doctor, but again, the, the screening age is earlier.

You can see and James was only 48.

Courtney Maxson: Yes.

Matt Brooks: If not caught it, it spirals.

Courtney Maxson: It does. And you know the recommendation now that age range has been lowered because of cases like this, they’re becoming more, more [00:02:00] common, more prevalent.

Matt Brooks: Now if someone, may not have, uh. Uh, have health insurance or have questions about the take home kits.

How do they get ahold of you, Courtney, or get more information?

Courtney Maxson: Sure. Give me a call at (607) 758-5523. Or you can type in Cancer Services Program on our county website, which is CortlandCountyNY.gov.

Matt Brooks: And you can’t stress how important it is because I mean. It spirals outta control and can be terminal. And there’s, it’s such easy ways even take home kits to, to really to catch this in the early.

Courtney Maxson: Absolutely. And colon cancer is one of those things that really takes a long time typically to grow. Like you’re looking at like 10 years.

Matt Brooks: Wow.

So sooner the better. Uh, Courtney, thank you for joining me this morning on another edition of the Cancer Prevention Segment.

Courtney Maxson: Thanks so much.

Matt Brooks: This is X101 Always Classic, I’m Matt Brooks.