Gastroenterology

The American Cancer Society believes that preventing colorectal cancer (and not just finding it early) should be a major reason for getting tested.

Starting at age 45, men and women at average risk for developing colorectal cancer should use one of the screening tests below:

• Colonoscopy - performed every 10 years
• CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) - performed every 5 years
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy - performed every 5 years
• Double-contrast barium enema - performed every 5 years
• Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) - performed every year
• Guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT) - performed every year
• Stool DNA test - performed every 3 years

If you are at an increased or high risk of colorectal cancer, you might need to start colorectal cancer screening before age 45 and/or be screened more often. The following conditions make your risk higher than average:

• A personal history of colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps
• A personal history of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease)
• A strong family history of colorectal cancer or polyps
• A known family history of a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome