A group of 22 public health and patient advocacy groups are petitioning the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to adopt the American Cancer Society's new colorectal cancer screening guideline, Medscape reports.
Here's what you should know:
1. The coalition is urging USPSTF to adopt a guideline similar to the ACS's guideline. ACS recommends starting CRC screening at 45 now because of an increasing early-onset CRC rate.
2. USPSTF last issued its guidelines in 2016. It recommends starting screening at 50 and continuing through age 75.
3. USPSTF is not set to review its guidelines until 2021.
4. American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network President Chris Hansen said, "The new studies show an increasing prevalence of colorectal cancer in younger age cohorts; therefore, we hope the task force will take this new information into account as we work to give Americans evidence-based, age-appropriate access to preventive care services."