Study: 1 In 3 Uninsured D.C. Residents Have Precancerous Polyps

The doctors behind the program at Howard University Hospital and Georgetown University Hospital do not know why the patients in the program had a higher rate of precancerous polyps, and they're calling the findings "significant."

"We wanna get the word out so that we can let other residents know of the importance of colon-cancer screening...because there is a high risk of having one of these precancerous lesions, and if we remove them now, we can prevent them from developing cancer," says Dr. Duane Smith of Howard University Hospital.

Smith says by catching these lesions early, doctors can prevent up to 95 percent of colon cancer cases.

The D.C. Screen For Life program started six months ago and is open to uninsured and under-insured District residents between the ages of 50 and 64.

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