Overview

While the thought of getting a colonoscopy makes some people queasy, that shouldn’t prevent you from getting being screened for colon cancer, rectal cancer, or other colorectal diseases. Regular screening is recommended for:

  • Everyone age 45 and older
  • People with a family history of colorectal cancer or colon polyps (called adenomas)
  • People with inflammatory bowel disease

Colon cancer a preventable, treatable, and potentially curable disease, yet it is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., in part because people don't undergo colonoscopy as recommended. Colonoscopy screenings can find colon cancer before it progresses to a life-threatening stage. The cure rate for early-stage colon cancer is as high as 90%.