Colorectal Cancer Screening Guidelines Change for Average-Risk Adults

New Recommendations Focus on Stool-Based Tests

Starting this year, average-risk adults ages 50 to 74 should get a stool test every two years, according to new guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

The USPSTF is an independent panel of experts that makes recommendations on preventive health care measures. The new guidelines are based on a review of the latest evidence on colorectal cancer screening. Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States, but it is preventable if caught early.

The USPSTF recommends that average-risk adults get one of the following screening tests every two years:

• A stool test that checks for blood or other signs of cancer
• A colonoscopy, which is a procedure that uses a lighted tube to examine the inside of the colon and rectum
• A sigmoidoscopy, which is a procedure that uses a lighted tube to examine the inside of the sigmoid colon and rectum

People who are at high risk for colorectal cancer, such as those with a family history of the disease, may need to get screened more often.

The new guidelines are a significant change from the previous recommendations, which called for average-risk adults to get a colonoscopy every 10 years. The USPSTF says that the new guidelines are based on new evidence that shows that stool tests are just as effective as colonoscopies at detecting colorectal cancer in average-risk adults.

The USPSTF also says that stool tests are more convenient and less invasive than colonoscopies. This may make them more likely to be used by average-risk adults.

The new guidelines are expected to have a significant impact on colorectal cancer screening in the United States. If you are an average-risk adult, talk to your doctor about which screening test is right for you.