American Cancer Society Guidelines For Colorectal Cancer Screening

Men and women aged 50 or older should follow one of the examination schedules below:

*A fecal occult blood test every year and a flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years*
*A colonoscopy every 10 years*
*A double-contrast barium enema every five to 10 years*
*A digital rectal examination should be done at the same time as sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or double-contrast barium enema.

People who are at moderate or high risk for colorectal cancer should talk with a doctor about a different testing schedule.

People should begin colorectal cancer screening earlier and/or undergo screening more often if they have any of the following colorectal cancer risk factors:

*A personal history of colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps
*A strong family history of colorectal cancer or polyps (cancer or polyps in a first degree relative younger than 60 or in two first degree relatives of any age)
*A personal history of chronic inflammatory bowel disease
*A family with hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes (familial adenomatous polyposis and hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer).