A new study finds colonoscopies are better than newly available blood tests at detecting early colon cancer and precancerous polyps.A new study finds colonoscopies are better than newly available blood tests at detecting early colon cancer and precancerous polyps.
Colon cancers have been steadily increasing among people younger than 50, even as cases have declined among seniors.
That’s why guidelines now recommend that colon cancer screening start at 45, five years earlier than previously advised, Dr. Jennifer Davids, chief of colon and rectal surgery at Boston M...
The best evidence yet that cutting-edge Alzheimer’s disease drugs might indeed ward off the degenerative brain disease has emerged from a small-scale study.
An experimental drug that clears amyloid beta from the brain cut the risk of developing A...
FRIDAY, March 7, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A new risk prediction model can help identify people who are likely to develop early-onset colon cancer or small non-cancerous growths on other organs, researchers say.
The model relies on four factors associated with early-onset colon cancer: a family history of colon cancer, BMI, sex and smoking. (BMI is shorthand for body mass index, an es...
Preventive screenings for cancer declined during the pandemic, with lockdowns, social distancing and COVID-19 surges keeping many from needed mammograms and colonoscopies.
But breast and colon cancer screening numbers have since rebounded and have even surpassed pre-pandemic scree...
Appalachia has a rich history and gorgeous landscapes, but it has also experienced rates of cancer incidence and death that outstrip those of much of the rest of America.
However, new data offer hope to the 26 million people living in the region: Cancer rates are falling, although not as steeply as elsewhere in America.
Still, “there are reasons for hope and opportunities to i...
An experimental blood test can effectively and accurately detect colon cancer in middle-aged folks and seniors, a new study says.
The blood test was 81% accurate in detecting colon cancer among people who have the disease, researchers reported at the 2025 American Society of Cli...
Everyone knows that colonoscopies save lives, but that doesn't make drinking a lot of liquid laxatives in preparation for the procedure any less daunting.
Luckily, one expert has some helpful tips on how to take some of the pain out of the process.
The purpose of a colonoscopy is to examine the colon and rectum for abnormalities such as polyps,
Having close family and friends who care about their health makes women more likely to get regularly screened for cancer, a new study has found.
Women are more likely to undergo regular cancer screening if they have a tighter web of social and emotional connections, researchers reported Oct. 17 in the journal Cancer Causes & Contro...
Colon cancers are increasing among younger Americans, so much so that experts advised in 2021 that colonoscopy screening begin at the age of 45, not 50 as had been previously recommended.
Now, research shows the new guideline may have led to a tripling in the use of the gold-standard screen among folks ages 45 to 49.
Still, in terms of the absolute number of people screened, colonos...
Screening for cancer saves lives, but a new report shows it comes with a hefty price tag: The United States spends at least $43 billion annually on tests that check for five major cancers.
Dutch researchers have developed a new stool test that appears to detect colon polyps better than the current test does.
"The current test performs well, but leaves room for improvement," said Dr. Gerrit Meijer, principle investigator at the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam.
Getting your preventive screening colonoscopy could be even more of a lifesaver than you thought, a new analysis finds.
The two gold standard tests for spotting cancers and polyps of the colon -- colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy -- offer double the benefit determined in prior studies, conclude a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in Cambridge, Mass.
While guidelines for cancer screening have begun factoring in life expectancy, a new poll shows a majority of older adults disagree with age cutoffs based on how long a person is expected to live.
The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging querie...
Many Americans are behind on recommended colon cancer screenings -- and their doctors often fail to remind them, a new study suggests.
The study, by the American Cancer Society, focused on a nationwide sample of more 5,000 Americans who were overdue for colon cancer screening. All had been to a routine checkup in the past year, but only about one-quarter said their provider had advised th...
Health screenings and preventive care appointments are a key to maintaining long-term health and well-being. By proactively engaging in these practices, women can identify potential health risks early on and take necessary steps.
This guide will outline the key women's health screenings and care appointments to help you prioritize your health and stay on top of your well-being.
Many Americans are not getting recommended cancer screenings, and a new study hints at one way to push the needle: paid sick leave from work.
Researchers found that in areas of the United States that passed mandates on paid sick leave, cancer screening rates inched up in the years afterward. Breast cancer screening rose by roughly 3%, while colon cancer screening increased by 6% to 8%.
Colon cancer continues to rise among younger U.S. adults, with the American Cancer Society reporting a doubling of cases in people younger than 55 in about 25 years.
Also, significantly more Americans are being diagnosed with advanced stages of the disease, the cancer society says.
As of 2019, 20% of colon cancer cases occurred in adults under age 55 -- up from just 11% in 1995, acc...
Cancer screening rates were down again during 2021, the second year of the pandemic.
The number of women having cervical cancer screening dropped 4.4 million in 2021 compared to 2019, according to a study by the American Cancer Society (ACS). About 1.1 million fewer women were screened for breast cancer and about 700,000 fewer men were screened for prostate cancer.
Many people undergo a stool test to screen for colon cancer but a new study finds too few follow up with a colonoscopy when that test warns of a possible cancer.
Not following up undermines the point of screening, said study-co-author Jeff Mohl, director of research and analytics for the Amer...
Just 14% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States are detected through routine screening, a new analysis finds -- pointing to many missed opportunities to catch cancer early.
Are you an older man worried about your risk for colon cancer? Eating whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes may improve your odds of dodging the disease, new research shows.
"Although previous research has suggested that plant-based diets may play a role in preventing colorectal cancer, the impact of plant foods' nutritional quality on this association has been unclear," said study...
Many guys love a breakfast plate piled high with sausages and maybe a sugar-glazed danish on the side. Now, research shows that wolfing down too many ultra-processed foods like these could be bad news for a man's colon.
If you use pot, you may need more sedation than normal during a gastric endoscopy, according to a new study.
"Patients didn't have increased awareness or discomfort during procedures, but they did require more drugs," lead author Dr. Yasmin Nasser said in a news release from the American Gastroenterological Association. Nasser is an assistant professor in the Institute for Chronic Disease...
Many people who are overweight or obese avoid cancer screening for fear of stigma and judgment about their weight, British researchers report.
In a review of 10 published studies, researchers found that many doctors around the world don't look kindly on patients with obesity, an attitude that can affect tre...
Colonoscopies in younger women can significantly cut their risk of colon cancer, a new study claims.
"While there's been an alarming increase in the incidence of colorectal cancer in recent decades in younger individuals, screening has largely been focused on people over 50," noted seni...
The early months of the COVID-19 pandemic kept millions of Americans away from routine cancer screenings. Now a new study finds that many U.S. screening programs were still not back to normal by 2021.
The study, of more than 700 cancer facilities nationwide, found that in January 2021 - a year after COVID's emergence in the United States - most still had not recovered their pre-pandemic s...
Colon cancer rates are increasing for younger Americans, along with rates of obesity. Could slimming down reduce young people's risk for malignancy?
A new study suggests that even a small amount of weight loss may cut your odds for benign growths in the colon known as adenomas, or polyps. Left unchecked, these growths can lead to
Big surprise bills for any colonoscopy done after a positive result from a stool-based screening test will be prevented under new federal rules, a group of U.S. medical organizations say.
On Jan. 10, the Biden administration issued guidance requiring private insurers to cover such colonoscopies.
President Joe Biden is undergoing a routine colonoscopy Friday, and will briefly transfer power to Vice President Kamala Harris while he's sedated for the procedure, the White House said.
The colonoscopy will be part of Biden's first routine physical exam as president, and will take place at Walter Reed National Military Center.
"As was the case when President George W. Bush had the...
Colon cancer risk runs in families, and it's not just a parent or sibling having had the disease that should concern you.
If you have a second- or third-degree relative who had colon cancer at an early age, your odds of having the disease substantially increase, a new study finds.
First-degree relatives include parents, children and siblings. Second-degree relatives include aunts, u...
Colonoscopy screening can help prevent colon cancer by allowing doctors to find and remove potentially pre-cancerous growths called polyps. But if they fail to get the whole growth, the odds of a recurrence are high, a new study shows.
The likelihood that it will occur within the next few years more than doubled.
Repeat exams found a new growth in the same colon segment 52% of the t...
