Ethicon Endo-Surgery, CBS HealthWatch and ASCRS Team Up to Raise Awareness of Colorectal Cancer

MINNEAPOLIS, May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Ethicon Endo-Surgery (EES), in conjunction with CBS HealthWatch and the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS), will bring together patients, caregivers and leading surgeons through a live Web event intended to raise awareness about colorectal cancer, the importance of early detection and treatment options. The event will be hosted by EES at the ASCRS 2010 Annual Meeting and accessible through cbs3.com/colorectal on Monday, May 17, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time (11 a.m. Pacific Time).

Since 2008, Ethicon Endo-Surgery has worked with CBS HealthWatch to raise awareness of the importance of colorectal cancer screening. As part of this program, the company sponsors public service announcements, featuring Katie Couric, aimed at increasing awareness of the importance of colon cancer screening and early detection. Colorectal cancer, also known as colon cancer, is one of the deadliest and most expensive diseases to treat. It is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States(i), afflicting nearly 150,000 new patients each year, and claiming the lives of nearly 50,000 more.(ii)

"We're collaborating with Ethicon Endo-Surgery and CBS HealthWatch to encourage dialogue between patients, their loved ones and surgeons, which is an important element in patient care," said David Beck, M.D., FACS, President Elect of ASCRS. "The adoption rate for minimally invasive colectomy is relatively low, but the patient benefits of may be significant for some people. It's important that those people that are good candidates for a minimally invasive surgical approach discuss it with their surgeons."

Despite a strong body of evidence supporting the benefits of a laparoscopic approach to colectomy when compared to open surgery, less than half of procedures are performed using minimally invasive techniques.  Data from several studies published in peer-reviewed journals indicate the following potential advantages to a minimally invasive approach:

• Fewer complications(iii)
• Shorter hospital stay(iv)
• Less pain, smaller incision(v)
• Appropriate for a broad range of patients(iii)
• Oncological clearance equal to open colectomy(vi)
• Reduction in post-discharge nursing support(iii)

The Web event, which will be introduced by Katie Couric, anchor and managing editor of the "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric," will include a prominent cast of surgeons including organizer, Harry Papaconstantinou, M.D., FACS, FASCRS, Scott & White Memorial Hospital; moderator, David Beck M.D., FACS, FASCR, Oschner Endoscopy ASC; and panel members: Michael Arvanitis, M.D., FACS, FASCRS, Monmouth Medical Center; George Chang, M.D., FACS, FASCRS, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Roberta Muldoon, M.D., FACS, FASCRS Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Deborah Nagle, M.D., FACS, FASCRS, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Scott Steele, M.D., FACS, FASCRS, Madigan Army Medical Center; and Larissa Temple, M.D., FACS, FASCRS, FRCPC, FRCPS, Memorial Sloan Kettering. The event is being hosted at the Ethicon Endo-Surgery Booth (#704).

As part of its commitment to improving the lives of patients through solutions and education that enable early detection and treatment of disease, EES has also been a long-standing supporter of the Colon Cancer Alliance, the oldest and largest national patient advocacy organization dedicated to ending the suffering caused by colorectal cancer. The company will continue its support this year at the ASCRS Annual Meeting, donating up to $10,000.  

EES provides a range of innovative solutions for colorectal surgery, including a patient education Web site (www.colonsurgeryinfo.com) and comprehensive professional education program. The company also develops devices to facilitate a wide range of open and minimally invasive colorectal procedures. At ASCRS, EES is showcasing several new devices for colorectal procedures, such as HARMONIC FOCUS^® Long, Echelon Flex^™ 45 Endopath^® Stapler, the EES Linear Cutter and EES Intraluminal Stapler. The company also develops the STARR stapler for Obstructed Defecation Syndrome (ODS) and PPH03 for the minimally invasive treatment of advanced hemorrhoids.  

About Ethicon Endo-Surgery

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, a Johnson & Johnson company, develops and markets advanced medical devices for minimally invasive and open surgical procedures, focusing on procedure-enabling devices for the interventional diagnosis and treatment of conditions in general and bariatric surgery, as well as gastrointestinal health, gynecology and surgical oncology. More information can be found at www.ethiconendo.com.

SOURCE Ethicon Endo-Surgery