The American Cancer Society estimates that 145,600 new cases of colon or rectal cancer will be diagnosed in the United States during the current year and that the disease will claim the lives of more than 51,000 people. Those numbers in the Palmetto state are 2,166 and 829, according to the South Carolina Cancer Alliance.

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Dr. Bryan Green was invited to speak at the 2018 National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable in Baltimore Maryland on November 15. This is a national coalition co-supported by the American Cancer Society and CDC, which focuses on increasing colorectal cancer screening rates throughout the nation. He presented the results of an ongoing program in which gastroenterologists have partnered with the University of South Carolina Center for Colon Research to provide over 3,000 free screening colonoscopies to uninsured residents of South Carolina. He and the partners of Digestive Diseases Group were the first Gastroenterologists in South Carolina to begin to participate in the program when it began in 2008. Now it involves over 80 Gastroenterologists, 19 endoscopy facilities, 5 hospital systems, 12 pathology organizations and 13 anesthesiology organizations.

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Dr. Bryan Green of Digestive Disease Group presented the results of a 10 year colon cancer prevention study at the plenary session of the South Eastern Regional Colorectal Cancer Symposium in New Orleans June 2018. Dr. Green had spearheaded the study in his role as the President of the South Carolina Gastroenterology Association. The study was a partnership between South Carolina Gastroenterologists who volunteered to do free colonoscopies for underserved patients throughout the state and the Center for Colon Cancer Research at the University of South Carolina. This cooperation, the Colon Cancer Prevention Network (CCPN) has screened over 1,000 patients. Hundreds of precancerous colon polyps have been removed preventing cancers and saving lives.

Please click here to view the South Carolina Gastroenterology Association newsletter for spring 2018 in PDF format.

Meet Bryan T. Green, M.D., a Gastroenterologist dedicated to his patients, an advocate for colon cancer prevention and a passionate land conservationist.

Dr. Green. is a southeastern native who grew up in Milton, Florida. He received his B.S. in Biology from Mercer University, summa cum laude, and graduated from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine as Alpha Omega Alpha.

After completing his Internal Medicine Residency at the University of South Alabama, Dr. Green completed his Gastroenterology Fellowship at Duke University. He published more than 25 peer-reviewed articles and presented his research at more than 10 national meetings during his medical training. After graduation, he joined Digestive Diseases Group in Greenwood, South Carolina in 2004, where he currently works with an active Gastroenterology practice.

Dr. Green serves his community through numerous board leadership roles, including two terms on the Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Board of Trustees, and the Greenwood School District 52 parents’ advisory board. He is a passionate land conservationist who has personally preserved more than 1,400 acres of endangered land along rivers in South Carolina through conservation easements. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Upper Savannah Land Trust to further support land conservation efforts.

Dr. Green is the current President of the South Carolina Gastroenterology Association (SCGA) and spearheads a variety of activities within the organization. He promotes the Colon Cancer Prevention Network, a partnership between the University of South Carolina’s Center for Colon Cancer Research and a number of SCGA member physicians that have agreed to perform free screening colonoscopies to underinsured patients throughout the state. More than 1,000 patients have received this service. He will present this research at the Southeastern Colorectal Cancer consortium this summer, and has strengthened the ties between the SCGA and the MUSC Digestive Disease Center. Dr. Green volunteers as the SCMA Doctor of the Day at the South Carolina Statehouse each March, in honor of Colon Cancer Awareness month.

Dr. Green travels to Washington DC each March to participate in the Digestive Disease National Coalition (DDNC) Legislative Weekend to advocate for funding for colon cancer treatment and prevention with Congress. The DDNC is an advocacy organization comprised of the major national voluntary and professional societies concerned with digestive diseases, and focuses on improving public policy and increasing public awareness with respect to diseases of the digestive system. Dr. Green is part of a team comprised of a physician, nurse, and patients that meet with Congressmen or their staff to promote funding for digestive health. He also has been active on the Colorectal Cancer Advisory Committee of the South Carolina Cancer Alliance.

Dr. Bryan T. Green of Digestive Disease Group, PA went to Washington, D.C. again this year on March 4th and 5th to meet with several senators and congressman to advocate for eliminating the “polyp penalty” for Medicare beneficiaries. This “penalty” occurs when a polyp is detected and removed during a Medicare screening colonoscopy and results in the patient having a cost share for the procedure rather than having it fully covered as a screening exam. He also advocated to reduce “step edits” that health insurers use to require patients to try and fail several less effective medications before they will cover the more expensive, but also more effective medication.

Dr. Green is the current President of the South Carolina Gastroenterology Association that represents over 100 gastroenterology physicians in the state. The trip was part of the public policy forum for the Digestive Disease National Coalition (DDNC) which is a national advocacy organization for patients with digestive illnesses. In conjunction with its member organizations, DDNC seeks to raise awareness of digestive diseases in Congress and in the media. There are over 40 organizations within the DDNC including the American Gastroenterology Association, Celiac Disease Foundation, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, Colon Cancer Alliance, and a number of state gastroenterology associations along with many others.

Dr. Green had appointments at the offices of Senators Kyle Christian of Kansas and Kamala Harris of California and Senator Lyndsey Graham of South Carolina. He also met with Congressman Kevin Yoder and visited the offices of Representatives Jeff Duncan and James Clyburn of South Carolina.

March is National Colon Cancer Awareness Month. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States and one of the most preventable as it begins as a single polyp that if identified during colonoscopy, can be removed before it ever becomes cancerous. Due to increased screening, the United States has been one of the first countries in the world to actually show a decreased incidence of colon cancer. If all eligible individuals followed current screening recommendations, it is felt that over 70% of colon cancers could be prevented.

Dr. Mason’s work published June 13, 2017 can be read at the following link (PDF).