By Carol Ann Conover<\/p>\n
As colorectal cancer rates rise among adults under 50, a state-funded Glens Falls Hospital program is working to close a screening gap among men.<\/p>\n
The Cancer Services Program of Warren, Washington and Hamilton Counties, based at the C.R. Wood Cancer Center, provides free breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screenings to uninsured and underinsured residents. June outreach will focus on men, who have been harder to enroll.<\/p>\n
Colorectal cancer is the nation\u2019s second-leading cause of cancer death and New York\u2019s third-leading cause for men and women. Each year, about 4,700 men and 4,300 women in New York are diagnosed, while more than 1,400 men and 1,300 women die from the disease, according to the state Department of Health. Screening rates are 32.5% among uninsured adults, compared with 71.3% among those with coverage.<\/p>\n
Nicole Wrenn, program coordinator, said only 20 of about 70 people screened for colorectal cancer between May 2025 and May 2026 were men.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hear all kinds of things,\u201d Wrenn said. \u201cWe talk to the wives and tell them to get your husband in here. He\u2019s got to get this done, too. The biggest misconception is: I don\u2019t have any symptoms, so I don\u2019t need to do it. And one of the main things with colorectal cancer is a lot of times there are no symptoms.\u201d<\/p>\n
The program serves uninsured and underinsured residents, including those with coverage gaps.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the stigmas about even calling the program to get enrolled is that it\u2019s for people that are low income, which is not the case at all,\u201d she said. \u201cMost people who are lower income can apply for Medicaid or they\u2019re eligible for low-cost health insurance, whereas we see a lot of people in that middle ground \u2014 business owners, teachers, nurses, all with gaps in coverage from their plans. The cost of healthcare is just exorbitant right now. When it\u2019s healthcare or food on the table, people are picking food on the table.\u201d<\/p>\n
Covered services include clinical breast exams, mammograms, Pap and HPV screenings, and FIT kit or colonoscopy screenings. Follow-up imaging or testing may also be covered. No doctor\u2019s referral is required.<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/b>CDC guidelines recommend colorectal screening beginning at 45. People without family history or symptoms may start with a mailed FIT kit, an at-home test. Blood in the stool can lead to a colonoscopy recommendation, while those with family history or symptoms may be referred directly for consultation.<\/p>\n The program works with Glens Falls Hospital, Saratoga Hospital, Hudson Headwaters providers and GI Associates in Glens Falls. Staff also make appointment calls for reluctant patients.<\/p>\n Statewide, 9.9% of active Cancer Services Program clients are male. Warren, Washington and Hamilton counties have reached 22%.<\/p>\n \u201cOur cancer services program is at the top of the list for getting men enrolled in the program,\u201d Wrenn said. \u201cCompared statewide, the cancer services program is at 9 percent, and we\u2019re at 22. We\u2019re really, really focusing on getting the message out there to the men.\u201d<\/p>\n Wrenn said stigma remains a barrier.<\/p>\n \u201cWe hear things like, I don\u2019t want anybody touching me there,\u201d Wrenn said. \u201cSo we hear all kinds of things.\u201d<\/p>\n Recent research shows colorectal cancer diagnoses among people under 50 have risen about 2% annually since around 2023, while rates are declining among those over 65. It is now the leading cause of cancer death among men under 50 and the second-leading cause among women in that age group. Researchers have not identified a definitive cause, though diet and sedentary behavior are possible factors.<\/p>\n \u201cGetting a cancer diagnosis is going to take up a lot more of your time and a lot more of your money,\u201d Wrenn said. \u201cGetting a screening done \u2014 if you do the FIT kit every year, if you have no family history and you\u2019re not having any symptoms and you\u2019re a generally healthy person \u2014 that\u2019s better than waiting to get a diagnosis.\u201d<\/p>\n The program also emphasizes that men can develop breast cancer and refers patients for follow-up imaging when needed.<\/p>\n \u201cMen can and should do a self-breast exam too,\u201d Wrenn said. \u201cIf a man feels something that just doesn\u2019t seem right, they need to let their doctor know, because men can get breast cancer.\u201d<\/p>\n Vickie Yattaw, RN, BSN, OCN, manager of Oncology Education and Support Services and a C.R. Wood Cancer Center nurse navigator, provided lung cancer screening information. Federal guidelines recommend annual low-dose CT screening for adults 50 to 80 with a 20 pack-year smoking history who currently smoke or quit within 15 years. Medicare coverage ends at 77. The grant does not cover lung screening, but staff can connect callers with financial assistance and providers.<\/p>\n Yattaw also raises money for Randy\u2019s Assistance Fund, which helps patients with copays, transportation and other uninsured costs.<\/p>\n Uninsured or underinsured residents can call the program for intake, scheduling and follow-up. Patients diagnosed with cancer may receive help enrolling in the Medicaid Cancer Treatment Program, which provides fast-track coverage during treatment.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople call and say, what\u2019s the point of getting screened if I\u2019m not going to be able to afford the treatment if something comes up?\u201d Wrenn said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to help you. We\u2019re going to figure it out.\u201d<\/p>\n The program can be reached at 518-926-6570 and serves about 150 to 200 people annually across the three counties.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Carol Ann Conover As colorectal cancer rates rise among adults under 50, a state-funded Glens Falls Hospital program is working to close a screening gap among men. The Cancer Services Program of Warren, Washington and Hamilton Counties, based at the C.R. Wood Cancer Center, provides free breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screenings to uninsured […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39099","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-healthcare"],"yoast_head":"\r\n