Getting a lifesaving colorectal cancer screening is simple. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends colorectal cancer screening for men and women aged 50–75 using high-sensitivity fecal occult blood testing (FOBT), FIT-DNA, CT colonography, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy.
Your screening process may start with a FIT (fecal immunochemical test). This is a simple at-home test that requires no special preparation. You will return the test to your doctor or lab. Test results help doctors determine whether or not a colonoscopy is appropriate.
Your healthcare provider will order the test which will be sent directly to your home. This is a simple at-home test that requires no special preparation. You will mail the test kit directly to the lab. Your healthcare provider will contact you with the results.
The doctor uses a short, thin, flexible, lighted tube that is inserted into your rectum. The doctor checks for polyps or cancer inside the rectum and lower third of the colon. The Sigmoidoscopy is recommended every 5 years or every 3 years with FIT.
The need for a colonoscopy will be indicated by the results of your FIT test or the recommendation of your doctor. Preparation and testing takes just 24 hours. It's easy and virtually painless. And it could save your life.
The following three links provide cancer screening guidelines for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer. Talk to your healthcare provider about which screenings are right for you.