Did you know that March is colorectal cancer awareness month? The American Cancer Society recommends that people at average risk for colorectal cancer start regular screening at age 45. People who are in good health and have a life expectancy of more than 10 years should continue regular screening through age 75.

For people ages 76 through 85, the decision to be screened should be based on preferences, life expectancy, overall health and prior screening history.

Screening for colorectal cancer includes stool-based tests and visual exams of the colon and rectum.

Stool-based tests types and recommended frequency:

• Highly sensitive fecal immunochemical test (FIT) every year
• Highly sensitive guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT) every year
• Multi-targeted stool DNA test (mt-sDNA) every 3 years

Visual exams of the colon and rectum types and recommended frequency:

• Colonoscopy every 10 years
• CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every 5 years
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy (FSIG) every 5 years

If a person chooses to be screened with a test other than colonoscopy, any abnormal test result should be followed up with a timely colonoscopy.