Colon Cancer Screening After 75: When It Still Makes Sense and When You Can Stop
Bloating & DigestionArticleThe U.S. Preventive Services Task Force strongly recommends colon cancer screening from 45 to 75. From 76 to 85 it's a personal decision, because the benefit for people already screened is small. Women who have never been screened are the most likely to benefit. Here is how to decide.
In this article
Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in U.S. women and men, and it’s most often diagnosed between 65 and 74.1 Yet about a quarter of eligible adults have never been screened.1 Here is what the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends at different ages.
The recommendation by age
| Age | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| 45 to 49 | Screen (moderate benefit)1 |
| 50 to 75 | Screen (substantial benefit)1 |
| 76 to 85 | Offer screening selectively (small benefit for those previously screened)1 |
This applies to people at average risk without symptoms. It doesn’t apply if you’ve had colon cancer, precancerous polyps, inflammatory bowel disease or a genetic syndrome such as Lynch syndrome.1 Those situations follow a separate surveillance plan. Our guide to polyp lab reports explains follow-up after polyps.
Deciding after 75
For ages 76 to 85, the Task Force says to weigh:1
- Your overall health: screening helps most if you’re likely to live long enough to benefit and could handle treatment.
- Your screening history: if you’ve had regular normal tests, the extra benefit is small. If you’ve never been screened, you’re more likely to benefit.1
- Your preferences: how you feel about the test, prep and possible follow-up.
Test choices
Screening doesn’t have to mean a colonoscopy. Stool tests done at home are options for many people, though a positive result needs a follow-up colonoscopy. Our guides to at-home stool tests, sigmoidoscopy versus colonoscopy and colonoscopy prep explain each.
Screening isn’t for symptoms
If you have bleeding, a change in bowel habits, belly pain, weight loss or anemia, that calls for a diagnostic test, not screening, at any age.
Questions to ask
- When was my last screening, and what did it show?
- Given my health, how much would another test help?
- Is a stool test a reasonable option instead of a colonoscopy?
- Is it safe to stop?
Try: “I’m 77 and my last two colonoscopies were normal. Do I still need another one, or can we stop?”
Bloated by Dinner includes a Belly Clock log and a Test-It list with a visit script. Use them to list your screening dates and results before the conversation. See the book.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It isn't a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional who knows your health history. Please don't ignore professional advice or delay getting care because of something you read here. Screening is for people without symptoms. Rectal bleeding, black stools, a change in bowel habits, belly pain, unexplained weight loss or anemia need evaluation at any age. If you think you may be having a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. This article discusses a public health recommendation. Girl Playbook does not endorse any specific product, test, or provider.
Girl Playbook sells this book. It provides education and worksheets, not individualized medical care.
Sources
The research behind this article, in the order it’s cited. How we source our articles.
- JAMA (abstract via Europe PMC), 2021Screening for Colorectal Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement (opens in a new tab)abcdefgh
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