Why Screening for Colorectal Cancer Is Starting Younger – and What to Expect

2/24/2025, Emory Healthcare

Turning 50 is a big milestone for many people — a lot happens in a half-century, after all, including major medical and technological advancements. And for some time, reaching age 50 has been associated with having your first colonoscopy.

But doctors today will tell you: when it comes to your colonoscopy, 45 is the new 50. Why the shift?

Sonali Sakaria, MD, is the Emory Clinic clinical chief of gastroenterology (GI) at Emory Decatur Hospital and completed her internal medicine and gastroenterology training at Emory University School of Medicine. "Colorectal cancer is the third leading cancer in men and women equally and the second leading cause of cancer death," she says. "Recent studies have highlighted an increased incidence of colorectal cancer in individuals younger than age 50.”

With rising numbers of colorectal cancer, national health guidelines have changed. In 2018, the American Cancer Society revised its guidelines to recommend a first screening for colon cancer at age 45 — or earlier if you have a family history. In 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated its recommendations to match the American Cancer Society’s guidelines, lowering the age of first screening to 45. 

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