"American Cancer Society Issues New Colon Screening Guidelines" - Dr. Max Gomez
If you’re in your mid-40s and haven’t had your colon checked it might be the time. The American Cancer Society has issued new guidelines saying colorectal cancer screenings should start at age 45 and not 50. The ACS says colorectal cancer among people under 50 has shot up 51 percent since 1994. At the same time, rates steadily declined in people over 55 because of screenings. “We know that early detection through screenings saves lives,” said Daniel M. Labow, professor of surgery and chief of surgery oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and site chair for the department of surgery at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai West. “It has driven down death rates from colon cancer in the over 50 age group.” It’s why the ACS issued new guidelines to the benefits of screening to a younger population that’s suddenly at risk. The new guidelines don’t specify what screening method to use, only that any screening is better than none at all.
- Daniel M. Labow, MD, Professor, Surgery, Chief, Surgical Oncology, Hepatobiliary Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Site Chair, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai St. Luke’s, Mount Sinai West
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