I want to share five essential takeaways about colorectal cancer that I hope will stick with you. This is a disease we can do something about — and that starts with awareness.
1. Screening saves lives.
Colonoscopy isn’t just a test — it’s screening and prevention tool. It’s the only cancer screening that can actually prevent cancer from developing. Why? Because when we do a colonoscopy, we can find and remove polyps before they turn into cancer. That simple act — taking out a polyp — can mean you never have to deal with a cancer diagnosis down the road.
2. Start screening at age 45, or earlier if you’re high-risk.
As of 2019, the guidelines have changed. Everyone should begin regular colorectal cancer screening at age 45. If you have a family history of colon cancer or conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, you may need to start even earlier. Talk to your doctor about your personal risk. This is not one-size-fits-all.
3. Colorectal cancer is the only preventable cancer.
This is the only cancer we can truly prevent through screening. We know the pathway to cancer for most patients with colon cancer: a polyp usually takes years to become cancer. If we remove it during that time, we stop cancer from ever developing.
4. It’s more common and deadly than you might think.
Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. That’s a tough statistic. The American Cancer Society estimates that over 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed from colon and rectal cancer in 2025, and more than 52,000 will die from the disease. Even more concerning? Rates have been increasing in younger adults under 50 by over 50% in the last few decades.
5. Most people diagnosed have no family history.
There’s a myth that if no one in your family has had colon cancer, you're in the clear. That’s simply not true. In fact, 70–80% of colorectal cancers occur in people with no family history. That’s why regular screening is critical, regardless of background or symptoms.
The bottom line? You won’t feel colorectal cancer coming. Most people with early-stage disease have no symptoms at all. That’s why screening is everything. Whether it’s a colonoscopy, a stool test or a DNA test — just get started. Preventing cancer is always better than treating it.
Don’t wait. Talk to your doctor. Get screened. Save your life.
Learn more about colorectal cancer screening at Northside.
