Dr. Erik Johnson, a colorectal cancer surgeon with Aurora BayCare Medical Center, joined WLUK Fox 11’s “Good Day Wisconsin” morning news show to discuss new age guidelines for colorectal screenings.
The American Cancer Society recommends people undergo the cancer screening at 45 instead of 50.
“We are trying to find colon cancer at a very early stage, or even better, finding the pre-cancer growths known as polyps. If we find a polyp, it can be removed to prevent cancer from forming,” Johnson says. “Screening was lowered from 50 to 45 due to a recent trend of finding cancer in younger patients.”