Colorectal cancer is a silent disease. But, we can find it early and prevent it with adequate screening. A study found that men are at higher risk than women. Should screening guidelines need to be changed based on these findings alone?

Team@CMHF

Men may need to begin colon cancer screening earlier than women, new research suggests.

The study found that men were far more likely to have potentially precancerous lesions (also called polyps or adenomas) in their colon — 24.9 percent of men compared to 14.8 percent of women — and to have them at an earlier age.

A study analysis of age- and sex-specific prevalence of adenomas, advanced adenomas and colorectal cancers indicates a significantly higher rate of these lesions among men compared with women in all age groups, suggesting that male sex constitutes an independent risk factor for colorectal carcinoma and their precursor lesions, and indicating new sex-specific age recommendations for screening colonoscopy.

Current colorectal cancer screening guidelines recommend that both men and women begin colonoscopy screening at age 50, according to background information in the study. People who have a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer are advised to begin screening earlier. How early depends on their particular risk factors.

Reference: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/cancer/articles/2011/09/27/do-men-need-colon-cancer-screening-earlier-than-women-do