February 26, 2025
Colon cancer: Do you need to be screened?
If you’re age 45 or older, getting checked regularly for colorectal cancer is highly recommended. Learn why it’s important to get tested.
Routine screening can help prevent colon cancer by helping doctors find and remove growths before they become cancerous.
Many people think of colon cancer as a disease that only affects older people. But in the past 30 years, the rate of colon cancer among younger adults has risen rapidly.
“So far, researchers don’t know why younger people are experiencing colon cancer more frequently,” said Theodore Levin, MD, a Kaiser Permanente gastroenterologist and cancer researcher in Northern California. “But smoking, obesity, and lack of exercise are known to increase the risk of colorectal cancer for people of all ages.”
Colorectal cancer, or colon cancer, occurs when small growths called polyps on the lining of the colon or rectum grow out of control. Screening helps doctors find and remove polyps before they become cancerous.
When colon cancer is caught early, it can often be cured.
Whatever your age, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms to watch for, get screened when appropriate, and talk to your doctor about your risk factors.
Symptoms to watch out for
The most common symptoms of colon cancer are visible blood in your stools or very dark stools. You may also have more frequent bowel movements or feel like your bowels aren't emptying completely.
Pain in your belly or your rectum and unexpected weight loss can also be signs of cancer.
“Sometimes people don’t mention their symptoms to their doctors because they don’t think they’re serious,” said Dr. Levin. “But when people communicate proactively, it’s much easier to catch cancer early and treat it successfully.”
A convenient colon cancer screening test
Colon cancer usually doesn't cause symptoms until after it has already spread. The good news is that getting screened regularly is one of the best ways to diagnose colon cancer early before symptoms arise.
Fortunately, there’s a convenient way to screen for colon cancer at home.
A fecal immunochemical test, or FIT, checks for hidden blood in your stool, which could be a sign of colon cancer or colon polyps. If your FIT results are positive, your doctor will recommend a colonoscopy to check the inner lining of your colon and rectum for cancer.
Kaiser Permanente provides FIT kits for all members starting at age 45. We have some of the highest screening rates for colon cancer in the country.
Colorectal cancer screening saves lives
When colorectal cancer is caught early, it can often be cured. Our screening rates are among the nation’s best.
Source: 2024 Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®)
There are many benefits of using FIT to screen for colon cancer.
- It’s accessible. FIT kits can be sent by mail so you can be screened without having to go to the doctor's office.
- It’s easy to use. The FIT takes 5 minutes, and you can do it in the comfort and privacy of your own home.
- It’s effective. The FIT can help greatly reduce the number of cases of colon cancer and related deaths when a health plan has a comprehensive, integrated screening program like Kaiser Permanente’s.
Colon cancer screening guidelines
Most people should start screening for colon cancer at age 45 and continue until age 75.
If you’re at higher risk, you may need to start screening at an earlier age. You may be at higher risk if:
- You have a family or personal history of colon cancer
- You’ve had inflammatory bowel disease
- You’ve had one or more polyps removed from your colon
About 5% of people who develop colon cancer have inherited gene changes, called mutations. The most common inherited condition linked with colon cancer is Lynch syndrome.
Talk with your doctor about your risks, when to start screening, and what type of cancer screening is best for you.
Learn more about cancer care at Kaiser Permanente.
