Should Colon Cancer Screening Start at Age 45?

Current guidelines recommend that people aged 50 to 75 get screened for colon cancer, which prevents about 25 deaths per 1,000 screenings. However, because the current data shows an increase in colon cancer cases among those aged 45 to 49 years, the United States Prevention Services Task Force is considering a recommendation for starting colon cancer screening at age 45, which could prevent at least one death for every 1,000 people screened. United States Preventive Services Task Force, October 2020