Springfield, IL (WAND) – March marks Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a time health experts say is critical for encouraging people to get screened for one of the most preventable cancers in the United States.

According to health officials, colorectal cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers nationwide and the second leading cause of cancer deaths when men and women are combined. However, doctors say early screening can dramatically improve survival rates.

Tia Rapps, community cancer education coordinator at Springfield Memorial Hospital’s Regional Cancer Center, said the disease is often preventable because doctors have several tools available to detect it early.

“Colorectal cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the U.S.,” Rapps said. “It’s the second leading cause of cancer deaths when men and women are combined, and it’s preventable.”

Health experts recommend adults begin screening at age 45. While colonoscopies remain the gold standard for detecting colorectal cancer, Rapps said there are also less invasive screening options available.

One option is a FIT kit, or fecal immunochemical test, which allows people to collect a sample at home and send it to a lab for testing.

“It’s a really simple and easy way to do that at home,” Rapps said. “The gold standard remains colonoscopy, but if you’re thinking about getting screened and want to do a noninvasive way, this FIT kit is a really simple and easy way to start.”

Free FIT kits are being distributed throughout March in communities across central Illinois, including Decatur, Lincoln, Taylorville, Jacksonville and Springfield. The kits are available at drive-thru events, allowing residents to pick them up without leaving their vehicles.

Participants fill out a brief form, take the kit home, complete the test in just a few minutes, and mail the sample back using a prepaid envelope. Results are then mailed directly to the participant.

Medical experts say screenings are especially important because colorectal cancer is increasingly being diagnosed in younger adults.

Dr. Deepa Sheth, a radiologist and spokesperson for the American Cancer Society, said many people mistakenly believe colon cancer only affects older adults.

“Traditionally, we think of colon cancer as an old person’s disease,” Sheth said. “But in people under 65, the incidence of cancer is actually increasing. That’s where our push should be with messaging — that younger people can be affected and should get screened.”

Sheth said screening options extend beyond colonoscopies and can include CT colonography scans or at-home stool-based tests.

“Colonoscopies are intimidating for a lot of people because they’re invasive,” Sheth said. “But there are other options like CT scans or at-home tests that can make screening more approachable.”

Doctors say early detection is critical because it can prevent the cancer from spreading to other organs and greatly improve a patient’s chance of survival.

“The earlier we catch it, the less chance it has of spreading to other parts of your body,” Sheth said. “That increases your chance of a long, healthy, happy life.”

For some survivors, early detection and treatment can make the difference between life and death.

Todd Salen, a Champaign resident and colorectal cancer survivor, was diagnosed 11 years ago after experiencing worsening symptoms that doctors initially believed were related to another condition. Additional testing revealed he had colorectal cancer.

Salen said he was told at the time he had just six months to live.

“You fall into that shock area … like wow, I never expected something like this,” he said.

He underwent surgery that removed several feet of his intestines, followed by chemotherapy, immunotherapy and participation in a clinical study.

More than a decade later, Salen is sharing his story in hopes others will take screenings seriously.

“People have to know that this is a preventable cancer,” Salem said. “It’s not pleasant to do a colonoscopy, but it’s extremely worthwhile in terms of identifying cancer as it begins to grow.”

Health experts say awareness campaigns throughout March, including National Dress in Blue Day on the first Friday of the month, are designed to encourage conversations about screening and prevention.