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Washington, D.C., December 2009 - The Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Advocacy Committee, a group of leading ASC operators, state associations and the ASC Association, celebrates the reported decline in the cancer death rate and the decreased incidence of cancer cases in the U.S.

The findings are detailed in the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, 1975-2006, Featuring Colorectal Cancer Trends and Impact of Interventions (Risk Factors, Screening, and Treatment) to Reduce Future Rates, authored by researchers from the American Cancer Society (ACS), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR).

ASCs are health care facilities located in communities throughout the country that specialize in providing essential surgical and preventative services, such as colonoscopies and other cancer screenings, in an outpatient setting.

“More than 40 percent of Medicare colonoscopy services are performed in ASCs throughout the country,” Andrew Hayek, Chair of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Advocacy Committee and President and Chief Executive Officer of Surgical Care Affiliates.

This year's report includes a special section on colorectal cancer, with estimates on colorectal cancer mortality and incidence trends through 2020.

According to the report, colorectal cancer death rates have been falling since 1984 in men and since 1975 in women, with a more marked decline in recent years. For new diagnoses, men and women 65 years and older have seen the greatest declines, while cases are up in people under 50.

“Increases in colorectal cancer screening have played a pivotal role in early diagnosis and ultimately an overall reduction in disease mortality,” added Hayek. “We remain committed to providing these vital screenings in the outpatient setting in the hopes of achieving the 50 percent reduction in colorectal cancer death rates highlighted in the report.”

Media Contact:
Kay Tucker, ASCA
(703) 836-8808
ktucker@ascassociation.org

Advancing Surgical Care

The Ambulatory Surgery Center Advocacy Committee Celebrates Reported Decline in Colorectal Cancer Death Rates