You Know You Need to do This…Here’s Why

Turning 50 is a big milestone for many people—a lot happens in a half century, after all, including major medical and technological advancements. And for some time, reaching age 50 has been associated with having your first colonoscopy.

Recent guidelines have changed.

In 2018, the American Cancer Society revised its guidelines to recommend a first screening for colon cancer at age 45—or earlier if you have a family history. In 2021, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated its recommendations to match the American Cancer Society’s guidelines, lowering the age of first screening to 45.

Sonali Sakaria, MD, clinical chief of gastroenterology (GI) at Emory Decatur Hospital, says the main reason for the updated guidelines “is that colorectal cancer is the third leading cancer in men and women equally and the second leading cause of cancer death. Recent studies have highlighted an increased incidence of colorectal cancer in individuals younger than age 50.”

But colorectal cancer is preventable—and it’s treatable when caught early. Colon cancer screening is one of the most effective early detection and prevention services available in medicine today.

Since 2011, Sakaria explains, the rate of colon cancer has increased by roughly 1% each year in patients both under and over age 50. Modeling stud- ies, which are simulations run using available data to make predictions, have shown that starting colonoscopies at age 45 would help save lives. During screening, it’s possible to remove polyps early—if precancerous polyps are removed, they won’t turn into colon cancer later.

“It’s a screening test that’s as important as getting pap smears, mammograms, and prostate cancer screening. It truly does save lives,” Sakaria says. “I think educating patients on how the procedure is done alleviates a lot of their concerns. And the more educated patients are, the more likely they are going to be willing to undergo the screening procedure.”

Is a colonoscopy the only screening option?

A colonoscopy is a one-step test, Sakaria explains. “Not only does it screen for colon cancer, but it is also a therapeutic procedure, meaning during colonoscopy, we remove any polyps that could potentially turn into colon cancer in the future.”

Screening is particularly important for Black men and women.

“We do know that African Americans have roughly a 20% higher incidence of colorectal cancer and are more likely to develop colon cancer at a younger age,” says Sakaria. “They also have the lowest five-year survival rate for colorectal cancer of any other racial group. So, it’s critical for us to be screening the African American population, men and women alike.”

Request an Appointment

To make an appointment, call 404778-7777 to speak with a HealthConnection registered nurse or representative. EHD