Colorectal Cancer: 77% of Adults Don’t Know the Correct Age to Get a Colonoscopy.

From life-saving screenings to advanced treatment, get expert colorectal cancer care.

According to a recent national MedStar Health survey, 77% of people don’t know the right age to get their first colonoscopy (it’s 45 for those at normal risk). In fact, 36% of adults 45 and over have never had a colonoscopy, often because they have no family history.

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and women in the U.S., and it’s highly treatable when caught early. Yet too many people don’t understand when, or why, it’s so important to get screened.

In 2025, almost 153,000 people were diagnosed with cancer of the colon or the rectum. More than 53,000 people are expected to die from the disease. 

The risk of colorectal cancer increases with age, but more young people than ever are being diagnosed. The American Society of Clinical Oncology estimates that 10% of new colon cancers and 25% of rectal cancers are among people younger than age 50.

Early detection offers powerful hope, because when caught early colorectal cancer is 90% treatable and potentially curable. Screening is your best defense against colorectal cancer.

We offer patients a full spectrum of leading expertise to help diagnose and treat colorectal cancer. Knowing your risk and when to get screened can make a big difference in your health. 

Understanding risk and identifying symptoms.

Improving awareness is one powerful way to reduce the impact of cancer. Our MedStar Health survey found that only 13% of people can identify the symptoms of colorectal cancer. 

There aren’t usually many symptoms until the cancer has reached an advanced stage. When they do appear, symptoms can include:

• A change in bowel habits, such as diarrhea or constipation that lasts more than a few days, or stool (poop) that is narrow or has a different shape

• Bleeding from the rectum or blood in the stool, which might make it look dark

• Ongoing abdominal pain, with new onset gas and bloating that persists despite management

• Feeling like you need to have a bowel movement even right after you had one

• Weakness, fatigue, or unintended weight loss

 Anyone can develop colorectal cancer, but certain factors increase the risk. These include:

• A personal or family history of colorectal polyps or cancer

• A genetic syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis or Lynch syndrome

• Drinking three or more alcoholic beverages per day

• Having inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis

• Having obesity 

• Increasing age

• Smoking cigarettes 

• Your racial background (African Americans are at higher risk)

There are many effective treatments, but it’s even better to do what you can to prevent colorectal cancer before it requires treatment.

Preventing and screening for colorectal cancer.

Lifestyle choices can help lower your risk. Maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active is key. Research shows that eating a diet with lots of whole grains and fiber can help, and so can limiting intake of red and processed meats and alcohol.

The most effective way to prevent colorectal cancer is to find and remove polyps. These small growths on the inner lining of the colon or rectum can be removed during a colonoscopy before they have a chance to become cancer. Yet our survey revealed that many people are confused about the timeline, with 75% saying they don’t know how often to get screened.

For most adults, screening with colonoscopy should begin at age 45. A routine colonoscopy every 10 years after that age is the standard recommendation. People at high risk might need to be screened more often, or to start earlier, so be sure to discuss your individual circumstances with your doctor.

Visit MedStarHealth.org/ColonHRA to take our free colon cancer quiz to see if you are at risk.

Other colon cancer screenings can sometimes detect signs of cancer without a colonoscopy. These include at-home stool screening kits, that can detect small amounts of blood and altered DNA associated with colorectal cancer in the stool. These alternative tests have benefits and drawbacks. A positive result on an at-home test will require a follow-up colonoscopy.

How colorectal cancer is diagnosed.

If a screening test shows something unusual or if a patient has symptoms, doctors can use several methods to confirm a diagnosis of cancer and start to plan treatment. 

After removing a small piece of tissue, a biopsy can check for cancer cells under a microscope. 

Molecular testing can help us determine whether targeted therapy is a good treatment option. A CT scan may be used to learn if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. To learn more about a particular cancer, the doctor may use blood tests, MRI, ultrasound, or other tests.

If you’re diagnosed with cancer, our teams collaborate to help you develop the best treatment plan to meet your goals.

Colorectal cancer treatment: A comprehensive approach.

Our treatments are always unique to each patient. Working together, our specialists choose the best strategy based on the stage and details of the cancer, each patient’s health, and their goals for treatment. 

For many patients, treatment involves more than surgery. These options may be used alone, or in combination with surgical treatment:

• Chemotherapy: The use of powerful drugs to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing

• Interventional radiology: Some patients with advanced colorectal cancer can benefit from minimally invasive techniques to kill cells that have spread to the liver

• Immunotherapy: Helping the patient’s own immune system to recognize and combat cancer cells in patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-high) tumors

• Radiation therapy: The use of high-energy X-rays to destroy cancer cells

• Targeted therapy: Drugs that seek out specific proteins or genes that help cancer grow; these treatments can often cause less damage to healthy cells than chemotherapy