The Department of health of the Vinalopó starts the Colorectal Cancer prevention program in the municipality of Aspe.

-the objective of this programme is sensitize the public in general of the importance of early diagnosis of the disease, i.e., to detect it until the signs or symptoms to appear

Elx, March of 2013.- the Department of health of the Vinalopó has launched the Colorectal Cancer prevention program in the municipality of Aspeaimed at men and women aged 50 to 69 years in the framework of the cancer Plan of the region of Valencia.

It’s an initiative that began in the town of Crevillente with great success and satisfaction of citizens, and is it being introduced progressively in other municipalities of the Department.

Vinalopó health and the General Directorate of public health yesterday held a briefing on the importance of the prevention of colorectal cancer in the House of the Cisco Aspe.

The main objective of the campaign is to offer the necessary guidelines on prevention of disease testing and resolving any doubt or suggestion to citizens.

Mª Ángeles Medina, Assistant to the direction of continuity care of the Department of health of the Vinalopó has been commissioned to direct talk. D. Eduardo Alonso, Director of public health of the Elche-Crevillent area, Dr. Antonio Medina, medical coordinator of the health centre of Aspe and Dr. Juan Carlos Penalva, head of service of digestive medicine of the Hospital de Vinalopó and health Councillor of the Town Hall of Crevillent participated in this meeting.

This program aims to sensitize the public in general of the importance of early diagnosis of the disease, i.e., to detect it until the signs or symptoms to appear. Citizens will receive a newsletter of the regional Ministry of health, which explain the steps to be followed to carry out the test for the disease in their homes within the period of a few weeks. This test is performed every two years with the aim of studying the presence of occult blood in the stool.

The initiative complies with the commitment adopted provide a nearest health and at the service of the patient.

About the disease

Colon and Rectal Cancer is the most common tumor in Europe. It affects more often men and women aged 50 years of age though, if caught in time, it can be cured in most cases. Detection of the disease in phase of polyps prevents their growth and therefore the possibility of developing tumor disappears. Therefore, health professionals of the Health Department of the Vinalopó make special emphasis on the importance of the realization of a test as a form of early detection of the disease.