Screening for Colorectal Cancer

All people who are 50 or older should be screened for colorectal cancer; the screening method should be discussed with each patient.

The third U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has been releasing new and updated guidelines during the past year (guidelines homepage; Journal Watch May 15 2001; Journal Watch Jul 19 2002).

USPSTF 3 concludes each of its guidelines with a recommendation, graded as follows:

A -- The intervention is strongly recommended.

B -- The intervention is recommended.

C -- The USPSTF makes no recommendation for or against the intervention.

D -- The intervention is not routinely recommended.

I -- Evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against the intervention.

The 1996 USPSTF recommendation regarding colorectal cancer (CRC) screening was based on reductions in CRC mortality in a randomized trial of annual home fecal occult blood testing (FOBT), …

Reviewing Author

Richard Saitz, MD, MPH