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Comment by hammock | Hacker News Reader

There is no modern improvement in screening process that would account for the increase in colon cancer we have been seeing in young adults. Colon cancer screening still does not begin until age 50

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It was lowered to 45 a few years ago.

https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/cancer-articles/2...

Is it only routine screening that would help account for increases or also better detection for symptomatic individuals? Maybe more easily available blood tests or more frequent referrals for colonoscopies for those outside of typical screening groups.

Colonoscopies are invasive procedures and not without risk. Perforations can turn this "routine" procedure into a life-threatening emergency.

https://www.epicresearch.org/articles/colorectal-cancer-scre...

This shows that the colon cancer screening rate has quadrupled for ages 45-49 since 2020. It says official guidelines were changed in 2021.

I am not going to pretend to be an expert, but I also imagine there could be significant difference in how sensitive these screenings have been over the decades.

High risk patients with a family history of colon cancer are expected to start at 30

I think it is not necessary improvement to the quality of the screening process, just that it is more widely available?

What percentage of adults are presenting with symptoms, and what percentage of them end up with a diagnosis?

It's not available to anyone under 45 that it wasn't already (i.e. expressing symptoms, which indicated an advanced status, AKA not a "screening" use case but a diagnostic one)

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