Adults over 50 should be screened for colorectal cancer, US ...( PHILADELPHIA -- (July 16 2002) The U.S...),Health

The Task Force identified two screening methods that have been shown to reduce death from colorectal cancer: the fecal occult blood test and flexible sigmoidoscopy. The Task Force also recommended colonoscopy but says the evidence that it reduces death from colorectal cancer is indirect.

The Task Force did not recommend a specific screening test, saying that patients and their physicians should discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the tests and decide which test is best for them. The frequency of screening depends on the test.

Adults with known risk factors for colorectal cancer, such as a personal history of ulcerative colitis or a family history of colorectal cancer, need more intensive screening.

Nearly 57,000 Americans will die of colorectal cancer in 2002, making it the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Eighty percent of colorectal cancers occur in people at average risk for the disease, and about 20 percent occur in those at high risk, including those with a personal history of ulcerative colitis or a family history of colorectal cancer in a mother, father, sister, or brother who receives a diagnosis before age 60.

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Contact: Susan Anderson
sanderson@mail.acponline.org
215-351-2653
American College of Physicians
15-Jul-2002