Colorectal Cancer Tests Advised for Those Over 50
Men and women over 50 should have regular screenings for colorectal cancer, the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths, U.S. health officials said Thursday.
A Public Health Service advisory panel said people over 50 should have a stool sample tested annually for blood that can be caused in some cases by cancer of the colon or rectum.
It also recommended having a doctor regularly look inside the rectum and lower colon with an instrument called a sigmoidoscope. It did not specify how frequently this exam should be given.
Dr. Marion Nadel, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said this was the first time the government had recommended testing for colorectal cancer. Until now, the advisory panel “felt there was not sufficient evidence for or against screening,” Nadel said.
The American Cancer Society estimates 133,500 cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year.
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