When should I start checking for colon cancer?
US guidelines (from the US Preventive Services Task Force) advise colon cancer screening from age 45 to 75. A colonoscopy looks inside the bowel. Some tests use a stool sample you collect at home.
How often depends on the test. A colonoscopy is every 10 years. Most stool tests are every 1 to 3 years. Did your parent, brother, sister or child have colon cancer (a first-degree relative)? Ask your doctor if you should start earlier.
Source: National Cancer Institute, Colorectal Cancer Screening · US Preventive Services Task Force
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