Getting screened at 45 is more important than ever
Recent data shows that colon cancer is now the leading cause of U.S. cancer deaths in adults under 50.1 While this news is concerning, here’s a reassuring fact: When caught early, colon cancer is highly treatable, and with routine screening, precancer detection can help prevent cancer from developing in the first place.2
Exploring your screening options — including simple, noninvasive use-at-home choices like the Cologuard Plus® test — is the first step toward early detection.
So if you’re 45 or older and at average risk, now is the time to get screened.
Timely screenings can make all the difference
At 45, colon cancer screening may not be on your radar. But there’s a reason the American Cancer Society recommends it.
Colon cancer is an abnormal growth of cells in the colon or rectum that can invade nearby tissues or spread to other organs.3 It begins as a polyp (a small growth) that grows larger over time. While not all polyps are cancerous, some can become cancerous.
Screening is the best way to detect growths before they become more serious, even life-threatening – this is why it is so important.
Start at 45
The American Cancer Society recommends screening for colon cancer at age 45 for those at average risk.4
A silent disease
Many people with early-stage colon cancer have no symptoms or family history and are diagnosed through screening.5
Most preventable, least prevented
Colon cancer affects all races, genders, and ethnicities. The good news is that when caught early, it’s survivable in about 90% of people.6*
* Based on 5-year survival rates.
Comparing your options
Made for individuals 45+ at average risk, a stool DNA test such as Cologuard Plus stands out for its ease of use and proven effectiveness.
| Screening test feature |  |
Colonoscopy | FIT Fecal Immunochemical Test |
FOBT Fecal Occult Blood Test |
Blood test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noninvasive |  |
 |
|
|
|
| No prep required | |
|
|
§ |
|
| Collect sample at home | |
|
|
|
§§ |
| Indicated for colorectal cancer detection7,8 | |
|
¶ |
¶ |
|
| Indicated for detection of precancer7-10 | |
|
|
¶ |
# |
Any noninvasive test with a positive result will need a follow-up colonoscopy.
§FOBT requires changes to diet or medication11
¶Indicated for the detection of fecal occult blood7
#Current FDA-approved CRC blood test not indicated for precancer detection10
§§Mobile phlebotomy may be available to collect a blood-based test sample at home with assistance from a medical professional12
You’ve got questions,
we’ve got answers
Some types of cancer can be found before symptoms are present or when the disease is in an early stage of development. Checking for cancer (or for conditions that may lead to cancer) in people who have no symptoms is called screening.
Screening can help doctors find and treat some types of cancer early. Generally, the earlier colorectal cancer is detected, the easier it is to treat. Being screened for colorectal cancer is the first and most important step in finding and preventing colorectal cancer for all adults 45 years of age and older.
Smith RA, Andrews KS, Brooks D, et al. Cancer screening in the United States, 2018: A review of current American Cancer Society guidelines and current issues in cancer screening. CA Cancer J Clin. 2019;69(3):184-210. doi:10.3322/caac.21557
Colon cancer is the most preventable, yet least prevented cancer.1 When caught in its early stages (1 & 2), it’s survivable in about 90% of people.*
Regular screening for all adults 45 years of age and older is worth doing because it has the potential to save lives.
Choosing a colon cancer screening test isn't easy. It’s important to talk to your health care provider about when to begin screening, so you can pick the method that’s best for you and your lifestyle. There are many screening options, both invasive and noninvasive, with newer noninvasive methods available for those at average risk for colon cancer.
- Itzkowitz SH. Incremental advances in excremental cancer detection tests. JNCI. 2009;101(18)1225-1227.
* Based on a 5-year survival. National Cancer Institute. SEER cancer stat facts: colorectal cancer. Accessed Aug. 15, 2025. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/colorect.html
- ACS. ACS Guideline for Colorectal Cancer Screening. Updated January 29, 2024. Accessed June 3, 2026.
- Itzkowitz SH. Incremental advances in excremental cancer detection tests. JNCI. 2009;101(18)1225-1227.
- SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Colorectal Cancer. National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/colorect.html
- CDC. Reducing Risk for Colorectal Cancer. Updated February 26, 2025. Accessed September 2, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/colorectal-cancer/prevention/
American Cancer Society. Guideline for Colorectal Cancer Screening. Updated May 27, 2026. Accessed June 3, 2026. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/colon-rectal-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/acs-recommendations.html