Colon Cancer Screening: One of the Few Cancers You Can Prevent

Why Colon Cancer Is Preventable

Most colorectal cancers begin as small growths called polyps that develop slowly over years. A colonoscopy can find these polyps and remove them in the same sitting — before they ever become cancer. This is what makes colorectal cancer unusual: screening does not just detect it early, it can prevent it from developing at all.

Who Should Be Screened, and When

Screening is generally recommended for average-risk people from around age 45 to 50. Those with a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps, or with symptoms like bleeding or a change in bowel habit, should be screened earlier and talk to a gastroenterologist about the right timing. Do not wait for symptoms if you are at the screening age — the point of screening is to act before symptoms appear.

What Screening Involves

Colonoscopy is the most thorough screening method because it both detects and removes polyps. After a bowel-cleansing preparation, the procedure is done under sedation and takes well under an hour. If no polyps are found, the next screening is typically years away; if polyps are found and removed, your gastroenterologist advises a follow-up interval.

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