45 is the New 50: What You Need to Know About Earlier Colorectal Cancer Screening

Lancaster CA.- With March being Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, did you know that the age to begin colorectal cancer screening has dropped to 45, marking a significant change in cancer prevention guidelines.

Kaiser Permanente Antelope Valley gastroenterologist, Dr. Maziyar Amini, explains why this shift matters for your health.

Why Earlier Screening Matters

“We're seeing colorectal cancer affecting younger people more frequently," said Dr. Amini. “By starting screening at age 45 instead of 50, we can catch potential issues earlier when they're most treatable.”

According to Dr. Amini, this change in guidelines reflects new research showing an increase in colorectal cancer among adults under age 50.

Understanding Your Screening Options

Colonoscopy isn’t the only screening option available. “While colonoscopy is very effective, we also offer at-home testing kits that can be a good first step for screening for many people,” Dr. Amini noted. “The best screening test is the one that gets done, and we work with each patient to find the option that works best for them.”

Available screening methods include:

• Colonoscopy every 10 years.

• FIT (Fecal Immunochemical Test) yearly.

• Stool DNA testing (every year for FIT or gFOBT, every 1 to 3 years for sDNA).

Don't Wait for Symptoms

Early detection is key because colorectal cancer often develops without noticeable symptoms, Dr. Amini noted. “Many people wait until they have symptoms to get checked, but the goal of screening is to find issues before symptoms appear,” Dr. Amini said. “When we find polyps early, we can remove them before they become cancerous.”

Dr. Amini emphasized that the process is much easier than many people expect. “The preparation methods have improved, and the procedure itself is done under sedation. Most patients tell me it was much simpler than they anticipated.”

Take Action:

• If you're age 45 or older, talk to your doctor about colorectal cancer screening.

• Don't delay screening if you have a family history of colorectal cancer.

• Pay attention to changes in bowel habits or unexplained weight loss.

• Kaiser Permanente members can schedule a screening appointment through kp.org or the Kaiser Permanente app.

To learn more about colorectal cancer screening options or to schedule an appointment, members can visit kp.org or call 833-574-2273.