The American College of Physicians has produced a guidance statement for colorectal cancer screening for patients who are at an average risk. This statement is based on a critical review of existing national guidelines.

“Patients who are age 50 to 75 who are asymptomatic, and don’t have prior precancerous polyps or a family history of colorectal cancer, are considered average risk,” said Dr. Frank Sinicrope, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and medical oncologist.

While various groups have offered colorectal screening guidelines, the American College of Physicians’ guidance statement is meant to provide health care providers with recommendations based on available data on when and how to appropriately screen average risk adults for colorectal cancer.

“While several screening options are available, it is recommended that doctors discuss options with their patients and consider a variety of factors, such as benefits, risks, frequency, cost and patient preferences. All of these factors are important in making a recommendation to the patient for screening,” said Sinicrope.

“The American Cancer Society moved the age to begin screening down to 45 years. However, their guideline is the only one that has made that recommendation thus far,” said Sinicrope. “There’s not enough data to recommend that screening begin earlier than age 50 at this time. We know that colorectal cancer is a disease of aging and that the number of new cases increases as we get older.”

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related death among people in the U.S. It can affect anyone at any age. However, it typically affects older adults.

Recommended colorectal cancer screening tests include stool-based studies and direct visualization tests, such as flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy.

Sinicrope says it is important to note that any abnormal stool-based screening test will require that a colonoscopy be performed.