The American Cancer Society is encouraging men and women 50 and older to make getting tested for colorectal cancer a priority.

Colorectal cancer (commonly referred to as colon cancer) is one of only two cancers that can actually be prevented through screening, which allows doctors to find polyps in the colon and remove them before they turn cancerous.

Regularly scheduled colorectal cancer screening can help save lives and help achieve the American Cancer Society’s goal of creating a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

An estimated 146,970 cases of colorectal cancer were expected to occur in 2009, and 49,920 deaths were expected. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in both men and women. Risk factors for colon cancer include a personal family history of the disease.

Overall, colon cancer rates have declined rapidly in both men and women in the past two decades, due in part to early detection and removal of precancerous polyps. However, only half of the U.S. population aged 50 and older have been tested.

Because of their greater potential to prevent cancer, tests that have a higher likelihood of finding both polyps and cancer are preferred if patients have access to them and are willing to use them.

In addition to screening, there are healthy lifestyle behaviors individuals can adopt to reduce risk of colon cancer.

Studies show that being overweight or obese increases risk of colon cancer, and people whose diets include a high amount of red and processed meats are at increased risk.

The American Cancer Society recommends that adults engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on five or more days of the week; and consume a healthy diet that includes five or more servings of vegetables and fruits each day, whole grains (instead of processed grains and sugars), limited alcohol and processed and red meats, and controlled portion sizes (visit cancer.org for tips and ideas on how to eat healthy and exercise regularly).