The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has released a final recommendation on screening for colorectal cancer – they now recommend that screening start at age 45.

“Far too many people in the U.S. are not receiving this life-saving preventative service,” says Task Force vice chair Michael Barry, M.D. “We hope that this new recommendation to screen people ages 45 to 49, coupled with our long-standing recommendation to screen people 50 to 75, will prevent more people from dying from colorectal cancer.”

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of death for both men and women in the nation. An estimated 52,980 people are projected to die of colorectal cancer in 2021. It is estimated that 10.5 percent of new colorectal cases occur in people under the age of 50.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is an independent, volunteer panel of national experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine that works to improve the health of people nationwide by making evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services such as screenings. Reporting to Congress once a year, their recommendations are based on a rigorous review of existing peer-reviewed evidence.

It is best to call your health insurance provider to determine exactly what will be covered for colorectal cancer screening tests.