start screening for colorectal cancer 5 years earlier: experts

for the first time, the u.s. preventive services task force is recommending doctors should start screening for colorectal cancer at age 45 — five years earlier than current guidelines.

according to the american cancer society, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the united states, excluding skin cancers. between 2006 and 2017, rates fell by 3.6 per cent per year for those aged 55-years and older thanks to screening and lifestyle changes. however, colorectal cancer rates rose by 2 per cent each year for those under 55. a few years ago, the society lowered its colorectal cancer screening recommended starting age to 45.

the stats are fairly similar north of the border. the canadian cancer society says colorectal cancer is expected to be the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in canada in 2020 (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). the society estimates 9,700 canadians will die from colorectal cancer, or 12 per cent of all cancer deaths this year. health canada’s current guidelines recommend regular screening for those aged 50 to 74 years old.

barry stein, president of colorectal cancer canada , says the u.s. draft recommendation to lower the screening age makes sense given the american studies that support it.  he thinks it would be the right thing to do in canada, long-term.

“however, what we have to do in canada is analyze our data on a provinicial basis to see what the impact of that change would be. it has done in such a manner that we can handle the capacity …  we have problems with not having enough capacity to deal with those people who already have symptoms.” he notes that the pandemic has created a backlog for colonscopies.

“there’s education on two sides: one, for the young adults who have to understand that if they have the signs, don’t ignore them,” he says. “the second thing is for the physicians. don’t push away young people just because you think they’re young and they may not have colon cancer. we’re see this very big, developing incidence rate both in the u.s. and canada [with people under 40].”

in 2016 , the canadian task force made a weak recommendation for colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 50 to 59 and a strong recommendation for adults aged 60 to 74.

in an interview with stat news, u.s. task force member john wong noted that “black men and women are disproportionately affected both in terms of the development of colorectal cancer and unfortunately they have lower survival rates with colorectal cancer.”

actor chadwick boseman died on friday, august 28, 2020 after a private four-year battle with colon cancer. reuters/mario anzuoni/file photo

in august, actor chadwick boseman died of colon cancer at the age of 43. he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2016. african-american men are more likely to be diagnosed and more likely to die from colorectal cancer than any other ethnic group in the u.s., according to research .

colorectal cancer starts in the colon or rectum, parts of the digestive system. colon and rectum cancers are often grouped together since the body parts are made of the same tissues and there isn’t a clear border between them.

if you or someone you care about is living with cancer, connecting with a support network can help to not only learn ways to better manage their health, but also share experiences with others. some canadian resources include the wellspring, cancer connect at the canadian cancer society, and colorectal cancer canada.

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start screening for colorectal cancer 5 years earlier: experts

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