The U.S. Multi-Society Task Force released new guidelines on colorectal cancer screening, Clinical Oncology reports.
Here's what you should know:
1. Patients should either receive colonoscopies every 10 years or annual fecal immunochemical testing, according to the task force's primary recommendations.
2. The task force sorted CRC tests into three levels:
First level recommendations: Colonoscopies every 10 years with annual FIT testing.
Second level recommendations for people who refuse the first level options: CT colonography every five years with a FIT-fecal DNA test every three years or a flexible sigmoidoscopy every five to ten years
Third level options for those refusing the previous levels: Capsule colonoscopy every five years.
3. The task force recommends against using a Septin9 serum assay because of its low effectiveness and inability to detect advanced adenomas.
4. The task force recommends people at average risk for CRC should begin screening when they turn 50 years old and that African American should begin screening when they turn 45 because of higher CRC incidence rates. People with first degree relatives diagnosed at 60 years or later should begin screening when they turn 40 years old.
Edfitor's note: This article was updated Sept. 18.