At what age should you get a colonoscopy? What doctors say after James van der Beek's death [View all]

The recent death of the 48-year-old actor James Van Der Beek is again highlighting how colorectal cancer is increasingly killing younger people.

Overall, cancer death rates in people younger than 50 have dropped by 44% since 1990. But after increasing for decades, colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in people under 50. Colorectal cancer starts either in the colon or rectum.

“We anticipate that this is going to be a continued trend,” said Van Karlyle Morris, section chief for colorectal cancer at MD Anderson Center in Houston.

Federal cancer screening guidelines and the American Cancer Society recommend that people who have an average risk for colorectal cancer should begin screening at age 45 with a colonoscopy every 10 years, or a stool test every one to three years. Insurance companies use the guidelines to determine whether the screening is covered.

https://health.yahoo.com/conditions/cancer/colorectal-cancer/articles/age-colonoscopy-doctors-james-van-110040640.html