The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that regular colon cancer screenings should begin at age 50 and are key in preventing the disease. According to the USPSTF, regular screenings reduce the number of deaths from this cancer by as much as 60 percent.
Risk Factors for Developing Colon Cancer
- Age 50 and older
- A family and/or personal history of cancer of the colon, rectum, ovary, endometrium or breast
- A history of polyps in the colon
What Are the Screening Tests?
- Fecal occult blood test (FOBT). This test checks for unseen blood in three successive stool samples and should be given every year.
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy. Health professionals use a stretchy, lighted tube (sigmoidoscope) to inspect visually the inside walls of the rectum and part of the colon; this screening should be given every five years
- Double-contrast barium enema. This procedure involves a series of X-rays of the colon and rectum and should be administered every five years.
- Colonoscopy. Doctors use a lighted tube called a colonoscope to visually see the interior walls of the rectum and the full colon. During this examination, polyps are removed and samples of tissue are gathered for further testing. Usually, colonoscopies can be utilized as a regular screening test or as a follow-up diagnostic tool when the results of any of the above tests are positive; this test should be performed every 10 years.
- Biopsy. This involves the removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope to check for signs of cancer.
- Virtual colonoscopy. This procedure uses a series of X-rays to create pictures of the colon in order to create detailed images that may show polyps and anything else that seems unusual on the inside surface of the colon. Another name for this test is a CT colonography.
Individuals with an increased risk of colon cancer should begin having these tests at a younger age and may need more frequent examinations.
Sources: National Cancer Institute;The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
