The Best Screening Test for Colorectal Cancer — A Personal Choice

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Abstract
It is well established that screening for colorectal cancer with the fecal occult-blood test significantly lowers the rate of death from the disease.1 The report by Mandel et al.2 in this issue of the Journal suggests that it also prevents cancer, reaffirming prior research about the benefits of detecting adenomatous polyps.3 The mounting evidence that early detection saves lives has sharpened the consensus among professional groups that screening for colorectal cancer should begin routinely at the age of 50.4 The current debate centers on which tests to use, at what ages, and how often. Each of the tests — fecal . . .