Dr. Benjamin Havemann, a gastroenterologist with Austin Gastro, discusses current guidelines for colorectal cancer screenings for men and women. Colon cancer is the 2nd leading cancer in men and women and is an age-related disease. It is recommended that most people, with average risk factors, have their first colonoscopy at age 50 and repeat it once every ten years. African-American men and women are at higher risk for developing colon cancer and it is recommended that colonoscopies begin at age 45. Colon cancer is one of the most preventable cancers and colonoscopy is the gold standard for finding, and removing, pre-cancerous polyps before they have a chance to develop into colon cancer.
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