Colon Cancer Screening

Colon cancer affects men and women. Approximately 40,000 persons will die of colon cancer this year. National surveys suggest only one-third of eligible people are routinely screened for colon cancer.

Screening should be done for everyone 50 years of age and older. Options for testing are:

• Fecal blood testing every year and sigmoidoscopy every 5 years. If polyps or colon lesions are discovered during the examination, a colonoscopy is usually suggested for a more complete examination.
• Colonoscopy every 10 years for average risk patients. For people with a family history of colon cancer or precancerous polyps, colonoscopy is recommended every 3 – 5 years.