Updated colorectal cancer screening guidelines as rates rise

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:00]With colorectal cancer on the rise in younger adults, there are now new options to test for it besides colonoscopies. The American Cancer Society released an updated guideline recommending blood tests to screen for colorectal cancer in adults age 45 or older who won't or can't complete a colonoscopy. Of course, colonoscopies are still considered the gold standard.

[00:00:22]The new guideline also recommends additional stool tests. They're collected at home and sent to a lab.

[00:00:27]They can detect molecular markers associated with colorectal cancer.

[00:00:31]Screening can dramatically improve survival if a cancer is diagnosed before symptoms begin because treatment can start earlier. When cancer is found at a more advanced stage, it may have spread into other parts of the body as well.