Results of decreasing the age of colonoscopy screening to 45
June 19, 2025
Summary: Those having screening colonoscopy between ages 45-49 had similar rates of abnormal findings as those having screening colonoscopy between ages 50-54.
Source: Lee, et al JAMA June 2, 2025
In light of the increasing rates of colorectal cancer in younger adults, the US Preventive Services Task Force lowered the age where it recommended initiating colorectal cancer screening from 50 to 45 in 2021. Researchers summarized the results of over 12,000 colonoscopy screenings at Kaiser Permanente of Northern California from 2021-2024. They found that the rate of abnormal findings was similar to the rate of abnormal findings in those who had a screening colonoscopy between ages 50 and 54. About one in one thousand screened were found to have colorectal cancer, and over one-third in both groups were found to have adenomas.
Implications for employers:
Adenomas are frequently found in screening colonoscopies. Employers can instruct their carriers to waive cost sharing for colorectal cancer screening in those who have previously had an adenoma removed.
Here’s a link to a review of colorectal cancer screening considerations for employers.