Recent news about the passing of actor James Van Der Beek at age 48 from colorectal cancer came shortly after the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) released an alarming new statistic: colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths in people under age 50.
Unfortunately, despite the increase in colorectal cancer diagnoses and deaths, many adults between ages 45 and 50 are still not getting screened.
Know the Warning Signs
One reason colorectal cancer is so deadly in younger adults is that it is often caught late. Many people under 50 think colorectal cancer wouldn’t affect them, leading them to overlook early symptoms like abdominal pain, blood in the stool, constipation, diarrhea, decreased appetite, and unexplained weight loss.
Knowing these warning signs, getting your first screening at 45 or earlier, and talking to your doctor about any changes are important steps to prevent a late-stage diagnosis.
Colonoscopy is The Gold Standard for Colon Cancer Screening
The American Cancer Society, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, and American College of Gastroenterology all recommend starting regular colorectal cancer screening at age 45. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer or other high-risk factors, you may need to start even earlier.
Colonoscopy is the gold standard screening because it’s the only test that can both detect early cancer and prevent cancer from developing. During the procedure, a doctor will look at the entire colon, find precancerous polyps, and remove them right away. This stops cancer before it has a chance to grow.
Why not Cologuard?
Cologuard® is an at-home stool-based test that can help detect cancer. However, 42% of patients with advanced precancerous polyps have a negative test.
Cologuard® also has a false positive rate of 13%, and a false negative rate of 8%. Patients who get a positive result from one of these tests still need to have a colonoscopy.
Cologuard® is also not appropriate for patients with a family history of colon cancer, prior history of polyps, or who have certain medical conditions.
A Team Approach to Colon Cancer Care
When cancer is found during a screening colonoscopy, or a patient comes in with concerning symptoms, having the right team of specialists in place makes all the difference.
The board-certified gastroenterologists and fellowship trained colorectal surgeons at The Oregon Clinic work in close collaboration to ensure patients who are diagnosed with colon cancer benefit from the most advanced techniques for diagnostics, minimally invasive surgery, and personalized disease management.
Take the Next Step, Get the Best Test
Now that you know more about the importance of colorectal cancer screening and early detection for those under 50, take the next step.
Click here to get started with colonoscopy screening.