Colonoscopy every 10 years


( examining the entire colon with a flexible telescope)


Stool-based tests have been shown to detect about 70% to 90% of colon cancers, but they have a much harder time detecting precancerous polyps.” — Sean Langenfeld, M.D.


rectum, are common and mostly harmless, but all cases of CRC begin with a polyp. It takes about 10 to 15 years


for a polyp to become a cancer, so


if you have a colonoscopy every 10 years and all polyps are removed, CRC can be prevented or found early in most cases. Stool-based tests are a newer


CT scan of the colon every five years


(virtual colonoscopy)


option, but they do not prevent CRC.


“Stool-based tests are acceptable


for average-risk patients who are unwilling or unable to undergo colonoscopy,” says Langenfeld. “They’ve been shown to detect about 70% to 90% of colon cancers, but they have a much harder time detecting precancerous polyps.” If a stool-based test is positive,


you will need to have a colonoscopy. New and better stool tests are coming but they will not replace colonoscopy. “Stool DNA tests currently have


Stool sample tests that look for blood in the stool from cancer every year


blood in the stool from cancer every year Colonoscopy is the “gold


standard” for CRC screening because colorectal polyps can be removed during the test. Polyps, lumps of tissue that grow out from the lining of the colon or


about a 15% rate of false positives (meaning the test is positive but turns out to be negative after colonoscopy), which can cause anxiety in patients and their families. “Newer tests have a lower rate


of false positives, and are also a bit more patient-friendly in regard to instructions and timing,” he says. A new blood test approved


in 2024 may also improve CRC screening. Called the Shield test, it finds substances in the blood released by CRC cells. This test was able to detect


CRC with 83% accuracy in a large clinical study. “My hope is that blood tests, which are considered more


routine and can be completed in the doctor’s office, will expand screening to this population that was previously unreached,” adds Langenfeld.


WHO IS AT RISK? Certain conditions can put you at higher-than-average risk for CRC. These risk factors include: Family history of CRC or polyps Personal history of colon or


rectal polyps Personal history of ulcerative


colitis or Crohn’s disease Family history of an inherited


polyp disease called familial polyposis or Lynch syndrome Personal history of radiation


treatment of the belly or pelvic area “The most common risk factor


is family history. Patients with a first-degree relative that experienced colon cancer or advanced colon polyps should typically undergo screening colonoscopies every five years starting at age 40,” explains Langenfeld.


REDUCE YOUR RISK The most effective and reliable way to reduce your risk is by having a colonoscopy screening starting at age 45. Lifestyle changes that can lower risk for CRC include: Maintaining a healthy weight Avoiding red and processed meats Not smoking Limiting or not drinking alcohol Don’t ignore CRC warning


signs, even if you are under age 50. According to the National Cancer Institute, the most common warning signs for early-onset CRC are diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and iron deficiency anemia.


JUNE 2025 | NEWSMAX MAXLIFE 81


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