Kristopher P. Korsakoff, MD

Hear from Our Expert:

As seen in the March/April issue of Advancing Care

"The age at which colorectal cancer screening should start is dependent on multiple factors, including age, family history and personal history," says Kristopher Korsakoff, MD, gastroenterologist at Bon Secours Medical Group, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth).

"For patients with no family history, genetic predisposition or alarming symptoms, most authorities recommend having the first colonoscopy at age 50," he says. "Recently, there has been increasing incidence of colorectal cancer among adults younger than 50. For this reason, the American Cancer Society recommends having the first colonoscopy at age 45."

"For black patients, some recommend having the first colonoscopy performed at age 45, due to the overall higher risk in this population," he adds. "Patients with one or more close relatives with a history of colorectal cancer or polyps would start screening at age 40, or 10 years sooner than the earliest age of diagnosis of their relative. Patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease would start screening sooner and more frequently. Persons of average risk with a normal result would repeat the procedure again in 10 years."