45 is the new 50 for colon cancer screenings
(KYMA, KECY/NBC News) - New guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force suggest that screenings for colorectal cancer should begin at age 45 — five years earlier than was previously recommended.
The change, the group says, could save thousands of lives.
Rates of colorectal cancer — the No. 3 cancer killer in the U.S. — have been steadily creeping up in people ages 45 to 50, said Dr. Michael Barry, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and vice chair of the task force.
“We can make a substantial dent in that through screening,” he said. “Starting at age 45 can save additional lives and prevent additional cases by removing precancerous polyps.”
The new guidelines fall in line with recommendations issued by the American Cancer Society three years ago. With the task force's added imprimatur, colonoscopies and other colon cancer screening tests for those aged 45 to 50 are far more likely to be covered by insurance companies.
The guidelines, published Tuesday in the journal JAMA, recommend six types of screening tests, including colonoscopies and stool tests.
The recommendations apply only to people who are at average risk of colorectal cancer — meaning they have no prior diagnosis of colorectal cancer; no family history of the disease or genetic disorders that raise the risk of the disease; no history of precancerous polyps; and no diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease.
The change in guidance came about because data showed that the death rate from colorectal cancer among Americans ages 45 to 49 is now comparable to what was being seen in those ages 50 to 54, said Dr. Otis Brawley, a co-author of the American Cancer Society’s paper recommending that the beginning screening age be lowered to 45.
