Overview

What is colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer happens when abnormal cells grow in your colon or rectum. These cells often form in growths called polyps. Not all polyps become cancer. Colorectal cancer is also called colon or rectal cancer, depending on where it's located. Your risk for colorectal cancer gets higher as you get older.

Who should be screened for it?

Experts recommend starting screening at age 45 for people who are at average risk. People at higher risk, such as those with a family history of colorectal cancer, may need to be tested sooner and more often than people at average risk. Talk with your doctor about your risk, when to start and stop screening, and how often to screen.

How often you need screening also depends on the type of test you get:

• Stool tests: Every year for FIT or gFOBT or every 1 to 3 years for FIT-DNA.
• Tests that look inside the colon: Every 5 to 10 years for colonoscopy or every 5 years for sigmoidoscopy and CT colonography. (If you do the FIT test every year, you can get a sigmoidoscopy every 10 years.)

Talk to your doctor about which test is best for you and when to be tested.