Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in Iowa, but it’s highly treatable if detected early, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.

A colonoscopy can find and remove small growths before they can become cancerous. Some Iowans may think a colonoscopy is uncomfortable or embarrassing. Physician Assistant Rebecca Kuehn with Mercy Family Medicine of Kalona says it’s the day of preparation before going into the procedure that isn’t fun, because you have to drink things to clear out your colon. Kuehn comments on the procedure, “The test itself is really easy. You go to the hospital, they start an IV, they put some medicine in the IV. The lights go out as far as you know, and the next thing you know they’re waking you up and it’s all over. And usually it takes no more than a half hour, unless they happen to find something that has to be removed, so the test itself is really easy.”

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in Iowa, and all Iowans are encouraged to get screened for colorectal cancer at age 50. The American Cancer Society estimates that four out of every 10 adults that should get tested don’t.