July 11, 2016 – Colorectal Screening and Age

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Anchor lead: Even if you’re over 75, you might want to consider screening for colorectal cancer, Elizabeth Tracey reports

A multitude of screening modalities should make colorectal cancer screening acceptable to all, the United States Preventive Services Task Force has stated in their recently released 2016 guidelines.  Patrick Okolo, a colon cancer expert at Johns Hopkins, says another recommendation is also noteworthy.

Okolo: The other major highlight of the 2016 guidelines was to sanction the use of screening for patients who were who were between 75 and 85, recognizing that the arc of mortality is changing in America.  Those patients should undergo, on an individual basis, colonoscopy screening if appropriate.  In this case meaning that they don’t have a lot of medical problems, and that they’re candidates for treatment of colon cancer if a colon cancer is found.   :30

Okolo says there is no question screening works in reducing deaths due to colorectal cancer.  At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.