Quite alarming statistics have recently come out that show colon cancer is being diagnosed much earlier than ever before. 1 in 5 newly diagnosed colon and rectal cancers are occurring between the ages of 20 to 54. The current guidelines recommend that people have their first screening at age 50 unless there is a family history of colon cancer, or a personal history of colon polyps. Anyone, at any age, who experience certain symptoms of colon cancer such as weight loss, anemia, blood in their stool, abdominal pain, and changes in their stool consistency should definitely talk with their doctor about their symptoms to determine if a colon screening would be a good idea. Most commonly, symptoms do not occur in the early stages of colon cancer, which is why regular screening and colon cancer awareness is so important.
