Individuals between the ages of 50 and 75 who are not at high risk for colorectal cancer should have a screening colonoscopy every 10 years. Colonoscopies at a younger age and/or more frequent colonoscopies are recommended for high risk patients or those with a history of colon polyps. Regular screening colonoscopies are not recommended for most people over 75 years of age because the benefits of having colonoscopies are small compared to the potential increase in risks. Talk to your doctor about other types of cancer screening tests that may be right for you.

A colonoscopy is a one test that can be done to check the health of your colon and rectum.  If polyps are found during the procedure, the doctor will remove them. To learn more about the procedure, you can click here.