Here are five things to know about the study.
• The researchers analyzed 126,936 patients ages 50 to 80 years old in Utah who underwent colonoscopy from 1995 to 2009.
• Compared to more distant relatives used as controls, first-degree relatives, second-degree relatives and first cousins all had an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
• Risk for first-degree relatives went up when the index patients developed CRC at an age younger than 60 years.
• First-degree relatives also had an increased risk of adenomas.
• 3 percent of CRC cases would have been missed if current screening guidelines were strictly followed.
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