What are the screening recommendations?
We use the recommendations of the American Cancer Society. They are as follows: **A rectal examination every year after age forty. **A stool for invisible blood every year after age fifty. **A flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years after age fifty. **A colonoscopy every 10 years after age 50. These guidelines only apply to people who have no symptoms. If there is rectal bleeding, change in bowel habits, personal or family histories of polyps or colorectal cancer, history of inflammatory bowel disease, or personal history of uterine, or ovarian cancer, discuss these factors with your physician. What is the stool test for blood? This test checks stool samples for blood that cannot be seen with the naked eye. This is a test that can be done easily at home and sent to the laboratory for processing. An abnormal test usually indicates bleeding in the intestinal tract. It may signal the presence of polyps or early colorectal cancer. Most polyps do not bleed. Therefore, this test alone is not
