Physicians: CRC screening age should be under 50 — 6 important findings

A majority of physicians (64 percent) believe colon cancer screening guidelines should be changed to lower the recommended age of these screenings to younger than 50 years, according to a new survey by SERMO, a global social network for physicians and healthcare professional polling company.

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Note: The survey polled 2,211 U.S. physicians.

Here are six important findings:

•    Around 56 percent think that increased incidences of obesity and diabetes are to blame for colon cancer becoming more widespread among young adults
•    Forty-two percent feel regular screening for colon cancer should begin at age 40
•    Twenty-five percent feel colon cancer screenings should begin at 45 years
•    Another 25 percent said colon cancer screenings should begin at age 50
•    Sixty-eight percent said computer tomography colonography, often called virtual colonoscopy, should be covered by Medicare and 76 percent thought that Medicare coverage would increase screening rates
•    Approximately 53 percent said that they would not recommend Cologuard as a primary colorectal cancer screening test

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