Your Many Options for Colorectal Cancer Screening
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 150,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with this disease each year. It’s one of the most common cancers – but also highly curable when caught early.
Know the risk.
According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF):
- Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death for both men and women.
- It’s most frequently diagnosed in people age 65 to 74, but approximately 10.5% of new cases occur in those younger than 50.
- In fact, colorectal cancer in adults age 40 to 49 has increased by nearly 15% in recent years.
- About one of every three adults eligible for screening isn’t up to date with these important tests.
Get checked – schedule your screening today.
Screening can save your life. The USPSTF recommends all adults age 45 to 75 get regular screenings for colorectal cancer.
Many Options
It’s never been easier to screen for colorectal cancer. In fact, there are many different tests available – including non-invasive ones. A fear of tubes, scopes or fasting is no longer an excuse to avoid a potentially life-saving screening. Here are your options.
Stool-based tests look at your stool for signs of cancer or pre-cancers. These tests are less invasive and easier to have done. But if you choose this route, you usually need to do them more often. Types of stool-based tests include:
- A fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is used to find tiny amounts of blood in the stool. The FIT test needs to be done every year.
- A guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT) is also used to find blood in the stool – and also needs to be done every year.
- Cologuard® stool DNA testing looks for certain DNA or gene changes in cells that can get into the stool from polyps (pre-cancerous growths) or cancer. This test needs to be done every three years.
Visual tests look inside the colon and rectum for cancer or polyps. These tests can be done less often than stool-based tests, but they require more preparation ahead of time and are more invasive. Types of visual tests include:
- A colonoscopy uses a flexible lighted tube with a small camera on the end to look at the entire length of the colon and rectum. If you’re of average risk and nothing abnormal is found during the test, you won’t need another colonoscopy for 10 years.
- A CT colonography (also called virtual colonoscopy) is a scan that provides detailed images of the colon and rectum. This test must be done every five years.
There’s no single “best test.” Talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of each and see what they recommend. Picking the right test depends on your preferences, your medical condition, the resources you have available and more. And the most important thing is simply getting tested.
A Final Note
If you’ve delayed your screening appointments or they’ve been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, talk to your doctor about resuming these tests. It’s as important as ever to get screened for colorectal cancer.
Interested in learning more? Check out our podcast about colorectal cancer prevention, and take a look at these helpful links:
- Try this yummy recipe for spinach bean soup, which can also help keep your colon healthy!
- Learn more about the risk factors for colon cancer from our partners at Reid Health.
- Watch this short video about colon cancer screenings from Confluence Health.
- Read why colon cancer screenings are more than worth it, in this article from OSF HealthCare.
- Check out this video from FirstHealth of the Carolinas about colon-healthy foods. And did you know eating quinoa can help reduce the risk of colon cancer? Find out more from Memorial Health.
- Can being fit help lower your risk of colon cancer? Check out this article from Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System.
For information on coverage and costs (if applicable) for specific tests and screenings, please see your health plan documents or call the number on the back of your health plan ID card. We’re always glad to answer any questions you may have.