Colon Cancer Screening

Unexplained symptoms such as bleeding, weight loss, abdominal pain, or a change in bowel habits deserve medical attention, since they can be a sign of a serious problem with the digestive system.

If you are not having any of these symptoms, the next step is to figure out whether you may be at above-average risk for developing colon cancer. People who are at moderate or high risk for colon cancer may need a different type of screening or more frequent screening than those who have a normal or average risk.

Do you have any of the following risk factors for colon cancer

• a past diagnosis of colon cancer or colon polyps

• one or more family members who have been diagnosed with colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis

• a suspected family cancer syndrome such as hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (also known as HNPCC or Lynch syndrome) or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)?

Yes, I have one or more of these risk factors.

No, I do not have any of these risk factors.