AmSurg and Mount Sinai Health System recently released new research that supports new recommendations to lower the screening age for colorectal cancer from 50 to 45, according to a May 24 press release.
New York City-based Mount Sinai analyzed approximately 3 million colonoscopies performed at more than 120 AmSurg ASCs during the last six years.The study focused on patients ages 18-54 who received a screening or diagnostic colonoscopy, but who were not monitoring previous conditions linked to cancer. Some of the research findings include:
Colorectal cancer was detected in 0.58 percent of patients aged 45 to 49 and in 0.53 percent of patients aged 40 to 44.
Polyps likely to become cancerous were found in 7.5 percent of patients between the ages of 45 and 49 and in 5.8 percent of patients between 40 and 44.
Polyps were detected in a large number of patients without a documented family history of colorectal cancer.
Colorectal cancer diagnoses have increased in people under 50, leading numerous medical organizations to recommend screening begin at 45.