Colon Cancer Screening Saves Lives When and How to Get Checked

Why is colon cancer screening important?

Colorectal cancer (cancer of the large intestine) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the united states where it will likely cause over 50,000 deaths in 2023. these cancers typically start out as small growths in the colon. If the polyps are identified and removed at this stage, they are harmless. However, if they are not removed they can progress to cancer, which can spread to other parts of the body, be much more difficult to treat and lead to serious illness and death. although colon cancer can cause symptoms like blood in the stool, weight loss, stomach or abdominal pain, or changes in stool shape or consistency, these symptoms often do not happen until the polyps or cancer have progressed and become more difficult to treat or even life-threatening. to prevent this from happening, it is very important to find these polyps and remove them before they have the chance to turn into cancer and to identify any cancers as early as possible.

When should I start to get screened?

in the past, we have generally suggested that patients start screening for colon cancer at age 50 (or earlier if there are concerning symptoms or other risks like family history). However, in the past several decades, there has been a significant increase in colon cancer in patients under the age of 50. this has several organizations in-