As a nursing student, I am learning that prevention is the foundation of health care. But there is one lesson that feels more urgent than most classroom discussions: the need for colorectal cancer screening among adults 45 and older, like those in my parents’ and grandparents’ generations.
Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death in adults under 50. It is also one of the most preventable cancers through regular screening. Yet one in three adults 45 and older is not up to date on screening.
In West Virginia, the stakes could not be clearer. Approximately 1,060 new cases of colorectal cancer are expected in the state in 2026 alone, and an estimated 420 West Virginians will die from the disease this year. These are not abstract figures, but they represent our parents and grandparents whose lives could potentially be saved through earlier detection.
Screening matters so much because there is a 91 percent five-year survival rate for colorectal cancer when it is caught early enough, but that drastically drops to 15 percent when the disease is found too late. Early detection does not just improve outcomes, but it fundamentally changes them. The difference between those statistics can mean the difference between life and death.
The barriers keeping people from getting screened are real, not personal failures. Traditional screening options, such as colonoscopies and stool-based tests, often require preparation, time off from work and procedures that are invasive and uncomfortable. For people working long hours, caring for family members or navigating limited access to health care, these obstacles can stop screening altogether.
In my training, I am seeing firsthand that prevention requires more than public health messaging, but it requires removing barriers and expanding access so more people can actually follow through. That is why providing additional screening options matters so much. I’m excited to see new options available for my parents and grandparents that make screening easier, removing the obstacles that too often get in the way.
New options like Shield, the first and only blood test approved by the FDA as a primary screening option for colorectal cancer for adults 45 and older at average risk, require just a blood draw during a routine doctor’s visit, with no preparation, uncomfortable procedures or additional time off work.
When screening is easier to access, more people complete it, and when more people get screened, more cancers are caught early. This allows for higher survival rates and a better fighting chance.
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a timely reminder that prevention requires action, like staying up to date with recommended screenings. This month especially, adults 45 and older who are due for their screening should talk with their doctors about colorectal cancer screening options and what fits best for them.
My generation is watching, and we understand that prevention can help save lives. We are asking our parents’ and grandparents’ generations to prioritize screening. Colorectal cancer screening is one of the most powerful tools we have; it is time to use it.
