Panel: Colon cancer screening should start at age 45, not 50

Colon cancer screening should start at age 45, not 50, according to a draft of new guidelines prompted by a rising incidence of colorectal cancer in younger people, a top medical panel said.

The draft, published Tuesday by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, adds weight to previous recommendations, most notably the American Cancer Society, which began recommending lower-age screening in 2018.

That means insurance companies are more likely to cover colonoscopies and other tests in those ages 45 to 49, NBC News noted.

The task force is an independent and volunteer panel of national medical experts especially versed in prevention, and evidence-based medicine, according to its website. The goal of the new guidelines is, simply, to prevent premature death, the doctors serving on the task force said in a statement.

“Recent studies showing a rising incidence in individuals aged 45 to 49 drew our attention to that age group,” task force member Dr. John Wong, the chief scientific officer at Tufts Medical Center, told NBC News.

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., the task force noted, and about 25% of people age 50 to 75 have never been screened. Early detection is key to survival.

“Unfortunately, not enough people in the U.S. receive this effective preventive service that has been proven to save lives,” task force chairman Dr. Alex Krist said in the statement. “We hope that this recommendation to screen people ages 45 to 75 for colorectal cancer will encourage more screening and reduce people’s risk of dying from this disease.”