The American Cancer Society (ACS) has recently updated its official guidelines, recommending that all adults aged 45 and older should get screened for colorectal cancer. This is a shift from the previous recommendation of age 50 and above.
Landmark Change in ACS Guidelines for Colorectal Cancer Screening
This change was prompted by extensive analysis showing a rising number of young people being diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The new recommendations apply specifically to individuals considered at "average risk" for the disease.
What is the “Average Risk” Category for Colorectal Cancer?
According to the ACS, people are considered at average risk if they do not have:
- A personal history of colorectal cancer or certain types of polyps.
- A family history of colorectal cancer.
- A personal history of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease).
- A confirmed or suspected hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome (e.g., FAP or Lynch syndrome).
- A personal history of radiation to the abdomen or pelvic area for prior cancer treatment.
Trends in Colorectal Cancer Incidence Rates
Over the past 20 years, incidence rates have significantly decreased for people aged 55 and older, largely due to increased awareness and screening that allows for early removal of precancerous polyps.
Conversely, there has been a 51% increase in incidence rates for people under 50. Adults born around 1990 face double the risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer compared to those born around 1950.
About 50,000 people are expected to die from colorectal cancer this year in the US.
Doctors Welcome the Move to Prepone Screening
The medical community has widely supported this change. Factors like increasing obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and processed food consumption are believed to contribute to the rise in younger cases, though the exact causes remain unclear.
Senior Radiation Oncologist & Co-founder, Onco.com, stated: “The rate of occurrence of colorectal cancer is rising in patients falling under a younger age bracket, compared to past trends. This calls for an early screening age (45 and above) for colorectal cancer.”
While most primary-care physicians are expected to adopt these guidelines, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has not yet lowered its recommended screening age from 50. The ACS's decision, however, is based on conclusive evidence that earlier screening can be life-saving for a new generation of patients.