Why is age so important in screening for colorectal cancer?
The risk of colorectal cancer tends to increase after the age of 40. Beginning at age 50, all men and women should be screened for colorectal cancer, even if they are not experiencing problems or symptoms. Annually, approximately 130,000 new cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed in the United States and 56,000 people die from the disease. It has been estimated that increased awareness and screening could save 30,000 lives each year.
