Men and women over the age of 50 years who are not at high risk for colon cancer should follow one of these screening options:
- Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) - Yearly
- Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) - Yearly
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy - Every 5 years
- Double-contrast barium enema - Every 5 years
- Virtual colonoscopy - Every 5 years
- Colonoscopy - Every 10 years
- Stool DNA test (sDNA) - The American Cancer Society has not yet specified a screening interval
People at high risk for colon cancer -- which includes people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) -- should discuss screening with their doctor. An individualized screening program will be set up.
Tests that find polyps (colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, barium enema, and virtual colonoscopy) are preferred to stool tests. An FOBT or a FIT done during a rectal exam is not considered a screening option. FOBT and FIT need to be done with the take-home test in order to properly screen for colon cancer. If blood in the stool is found with the FOBT, FIT, or sDNA, a colonoscopy should be done.
Source:
Levin B, Lieberman DA, McFarland B, Smith RA, Brooks D, Andrews KS, Dash C, Giardiello FM, Glick S, Levin TR, Pickhardt P, Rex DK, Thorson A, Winawer SJ; American Cancer Society Colorectal Cancer Advisory Group; US Multi-Society Task Force; American College of Radiology Colon Cancer Committee. "Screening and Surveillance for the Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer and Adenomatous Polyps, 2008" CA Cancer J Clin May-Jun 2008;58:130-160. 19 Feb 2009.
