Importance of Family History of Colorectal Cancer Is Questioned After Age 55

Current guidelines for colorectal cancer screening recommend that individuals with two first-degree relatives with colorectal cancer, or with one first-degree relative diagnosed with colorectal cancer at age <60 years, undergo colorectal cancer screening early — beginning at age 40 or at 10 years younger than the youngest affected relative — and continue indefinitely at 5-year intervals. To determine whether family history continues to contribute to risk for colorectal cancer in later age, investigators analyzed data from a large U.S. cancer screening trial of 144,768 participants aged 55 to 74 years, of whom 10% had a family history of colorectal cancer.

Overall, a family history of colorectal cancer increased colorectal cancer risk by 30% …