What We Can Do
• Become knowledgeable about the latest research on the risk for colorectal cancer in menopausal and postmenopausal women so you can accurately assess your patients’ personal characteristics and health education needs; share this information with your colleagues
• Encourage your menopausal patients to ask their primary clinician for an individual risk assessment for colorectal cancer and a risk/benefit analysis for taking HRT
• Discuss the importance of annual lab work and age-appropriate disease screening with your patients, including colorectal cancer screening and testing for serum iron levels; encourage your patients to ask their primary clinician for a referral to a gastrointestinal specialist for a colonoscopy if they identify symptoms of concern