April is Alcohol Awareness Month 

​AIM​ 

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Cherry Hill Associates In Internal Medicine 

Call Us:  856-479-9400

​​Cherry Hill

March is the Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Cherry Hill AIM is proudly participating in the effort to increase awareness about the importance of colorectal cancer screening.

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the United States and the second leading cause of death from cancer. It affects all racial and ethnic groups and is most often found in people ages 50 and older. There are often no signs or symptoms of this disease. The best way to prevent colorectal cancer is to get screened regularly from ages 50 to 75 years old. People with a family history of this may need to be screened earlier. There are different ways to test for colorectal cancer. Some tests are done every 1 to 2 years. Other tests are done every 5 to 10 years. Your doctor can help you decide which test is right for you and how often to get screened.

People over age 50 are at higher risk of developing colorectal cancer. Other risk factors are:

-Polyps (growths) inside the colon
-Family history of colorectal cancer
-Smoking
-Obesity
-Not getting enough physical activity
-Drinking too much alcohol
-Health conditions, such as Crohn's disease, which cause 
chronic inflammation (ongoing irritation) of the intestines

Everyone can take these healthy steps to help prevent colorectal cancer:

-Get screened starting at age 50.
-Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
-Get plenty of physical activity (health permitting).
-Eat healthy.

For more information or any concerns, talk to your physician at Cherry Hill AIM.

This April during Alcohol Awareness Month, Cherry Hill AIM encourages you to educate yourself and your loved ones about the dangers of drinking too much. We are joining other organizations across the country to spread the word and prevent alcohol abuse.

Drinking too much alcohol increases people's risk of injuries, violence, drowning, liver disease, and some types of cancer.

According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a standard alcoholic drink in the U.S. contains 14.0 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. This amount is found in
-12 ounces of beer
- 8 ounces of malt liquor
- 5 ounces of wine
- 1.5 ounces or a *shot* of 80-proof liquor
Moderate alcohol consumption is defined as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men based on the above amounts.

There is no question that alcohol consumption can impair a person's judgement and reflexes. Most people are not aware of the extent of this at the time of consumption.
In 2014, 9,967 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (31%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.

Research evidence indicates that the more alcohol a person drinks, the higher his or her risk of developing an alcohol-associated cancer. Based on data from 2009, an estimated 3.5% of all cancer deaths in the US were alcohol related.
Alcohol-associated cancers include head and neck cancers, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, colon and rectal cancer, and breast cancer.
The risk of breast cancer has been shown to be higher across all levels of alcohol intake.
People who use both alcohol and tobacco have much greater additional risks of developing cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus then people who use alcohol or tobacco alone.
Furthermore, studies have found that stopping alcohol consumption is not associated with immediate reductions in cancer risk: instead, it may take years for the risks of cancer to return to those of never drinkers.

You can improve your health by cutting back on alcohol consumption or quitting altogether. In addition, never drink and drive. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to discuss them with your Cherry Hill AIM physician.