Your colon is part of your digestive system. It’s a long tube that moves food to your rectum and out of your body. Colon cancer starts from small growths called polyps inside your colon.
The goal of colon cancer screening is to find these polyps early. If polyps are found, they’re usually removed. Screening for colon cancer is crucial. Finding it early may stop polyps from turning into cancer. If not found early, the cancer can spread to other parts of the body.
Who needs colon cancer screening?
Adults should begin screening for colon cancer at the age of 45. Regular screening usually continues until age 75. If you’re over 75, talk with your doctor to see if you need more screening.
Most people start screening at age 45. You may need to screen earlier if you have:
- A personal or family history of colorectal polyps or cancer
- Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
- An inherited disease that raises your risk
If you’re 45 or older, talk to your doctor about colon cancer screening. If you think you are at a higher risk, talk to your doctor about getting screened.
How to screen for colon cancer
There are a few ways to screen for colon cancer:
- A stool test: Stool tests are the most common screening test. It’s a less invasive test compared to others like a colonoscopy. A stool test looks for signs of polyps and tumors in the stool sample. Blood and/or certain DNA markers can be signs of growth. There are different types of stool tests available.
- Colonoscopy: This is the gold standard of screening tools. It uses a camera and light on the end of a tube to look inside the large intestine. This includes the colon, rectum and anus.
Other screening methods include blood-based tests and a sigmoidoscopy. Talk to your doctor to determine which option is best for you.
Protection against disease is possible. Schedule an appointment with a primary care provider. They’ll help you find ways to stay healthy.