Screening First-Degree Relatives for Colorectal Cancer Is Worthwhile

Current guidelines vary on appropriate screening for first-degree relatives of patients with colorectal neoplasia. For patients with one first-degree relative who received a diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) before age 60, or with two first-degree relatives with CRC, colonoscopy every 5 years is consistently recommended. For patients with only one first-degree relative who received a diagnosis of CRC after age 60, some guidelines suggest beginning screening at age 40 and others at age 50, and all recommend a 10-year interval. Some guidelines recommend the same strategy for patients with a family history of adenomas. The American College of Gastroenterology recommends counting adenomas like cancers only for first-degree relatives of patie…