Every four minutes, someone in the United States is diagnosed with colorectal cancer, a diagnosis that can be overwhelming without appropriate information and support. For both newly diagnosed patients and those who have been living with colorectal cancer, access to key information is essential in learning how to cope with their disease and treatment. A new educational workshop series developed by the Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA) called "Conversations About Colorectal Cancer" provides patients with the needed tools to help discuss colorectal cancer with their doctors and loved ones.

According to Amy Kelly, CCA Co-Founder and Executive Director, "Patients not only need to understand their cancer, they need to be prepared for what's next, and an informative conversation with their health care provider is the first step to determining the best way to manage their diagnosis and treatment. Our program will offer patients help in communicating with their doctor, an essential part of managing their disease that can sometimes be overlooked."

In order to help patients find hope and resources in their own communities, the CCA is hosting a series of local events as part of the "Conversations About Colorectal Cancer" program. The workshops, which will take place in 10 cities in 2006 and 2007, allow patients to hear from leading physicians on a range of topics, ranging from the latest treatment advances with targeted therapies to managing their side effects. In addition, patients and caregivers will have the opportunity to listen to and support one another in their collective battle against colorectal cancer.

"While talking to your doctor about cancer treatment is necessary, some patients may find it difficult to do so," said Dr. Allyson Ocean, medical oncologist at The Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. "Good communication is a key component of patient care, so it is very important that patients feel comfortable approaching their health care providers with any questions they may have-and that their health care providers are able to give them the time and understanding needed to answer their questions clearly and completely."

A Harris Interactive survey of more than 500 cancer patients and 300 oncologists revealed that patients who held in-depth discussions with their physicians about cancer topics knew more about their condition than those who did not have discussions with their doctor. In addition, the patients who did not speak to their doctors were also less informed about the possibility of treatment delays, infection, impact of low red and white blood cells, and proper patient education.

New resources have been created as a part of "Conversations About Colorectal Cancer" to help patients understand more about their cancer and provide guidance on how to interact with their doctors.

For more information on the workshop series, and to access the patient resources, visit the CCA Web site www.ccalliance.org, or call (877) 422-2030. The Colon Cancer Alliance is a national patient advocacy organization, with chapters located across the country, and is the official patient support partner of Katie Couric's National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance. The CCA is dedicated to ending the suffering caused by colorectal cancer. This educational workshop series is funded by an unrestricted educational grant from Amgen.

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