Task Force Recommends Colorectal Cancer Screenings Begin at Age 45
18 May 2021
Updated guidelines from the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force said screenings for colorectal cancer should begin when people are 45-years-old, which is five years earlier than the previous recommendation.
The rates of colorectal cancer, which is the number three cancer killer in America, have increased in people aged 45 to 50, Dr. Michael Barry, who is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and vice chair of the task force, told NBC News.
“We can make a substantial dent in that through screening,” Barry noted, adding, “Starting at age 45 can save additional lives and prevent additional cases by removing precancerous polyps.”