Sometimes it seems like the only thing that ever happens when new guidelines come out is that we are now supposed to do MORE testing and give MORE medicine EARLIER and at HIGHER doses.

Do you know what I mean?

It can make you wonder if the guidelines are there for the patient or for the hospitals and drug companies!

However, despite this sometimes disconcerting trend, I am pleased to report that the new colon cancer screening guidelines have actually REDUCED the need for testing in lower risk groups!

That’s pretty good news.

So, who are the lower-risk groups?

The low-risk folks are those who have a less than 3% chance of developing colon cancer in the next 15 years.

Risk is determined by age, medical history, family history, etc.

In fact, here is a link to an online risk calculator!

I highly recommend you punch in your data to see what your risk level is.

Also, if you’re interested in the original BJM article, click here. It’s very informative!

Also, if you’re a woman, you might want to check out my post on other screening recommendations for women.