Primary care is prevention: Reducing cancer risk through access, education

(Special to The Dallas Examiner) – In 2020, more than 1.6 million new cancer diagnoses were reported in the United States, of those 116,873 were in Texas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February is National Cancer Prevention Month and experts at Parkland Health want to remind the community that the first line of defense is preventive care. With research indicating an increasing rate of new cancer diagnoses among adults under 50, there is an ever-growing need to reduce cancer risk and increase access to earlier detection to improve the health of our community. Related Stories Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in Dallas County, according to the 2022 Dallas County Community Health Needs Assessment. Nationwide, colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths overall, and the disease disproportionately affects Black individuals, with incidence rates the highest of any racial or ethnic group in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. Black Americans face a 20% higher likelihood of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer and are 40% more likely to die from it compared to other groups. In the last few years, guidelines were updated to begin routine colorectal cancer screening...