GA HR1280

Recognizes March 2024 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and honors the Georgia Colorectal Cancer Control Program (GCRCCP) for increasing colorectal cancer screenings in Federally Qualified Health Centers in Southwest and Southeast Georgia

Screenings can prevent 60 percent of colorectal cancers, and 90 percent of cases can be cured if detected early; the American Cancer Society estimates 4,940 new cases and 1,660 deaths from colorectal cancer in Georgia this year

The GCRCCP was formed in 2020 through a five-year CDC cooperative agreement involving the Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education (CORE), Augusta University, and three health care partners, serving uninsured and underinsured patients aged 45–75 across 18 clinics

Screening rates for patients aged 50–75 increased from 57 percent to 60 percent in Southwest Georgia clinics and from 33 percent to 44 percent in Southeast Georgia clinics as a result of the program

Georgia's overall colorectal cancer screening rate for ages 45–75 is 58 percent, while historically Southwest Georgia averaged 53 percent and Southeast Georgia averaged just 33 percent