Colon cancer is a scary proposition and indeed it is the second leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the United States. The saddest part about this statistic is that when colon cancer is diagnosed in its earliest stages the cure rate hovers around 95%. Too few people still are being tested on a regular basis though, even though public awareness about the disease has increased over the last several years.

The current accepted medical guidelines state that all men and women over the age of 50 should undergo a colonoscopy at least once every five years. Such guidelines apply only though to those who have no family history of colon cancer. For those that do many doctors agree that earlier and more vigorous testing is required.

According to recent American Cancer Society guidelines if a person is known to have a had a first degree relative (Parents, siblings or  children) they should begin colon cancer screening ten years before the age at which that relative was diagnosed with the disease if at all possible. For instance, if your father was diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 50 ideally screening should commence at 40. If you have a brother who is diagnosed at 45 begin discussing screening at 35.

These however are merely guidelines and a colo-rectal specialist will tend to evaluate each patient on a case by case basis. It is important that both men and women divulge any history of colon cancer within their immediate family to their family doctor so that the potential risk is noted, even if the patient is perfectly healthy.

In recent years there has been an increase in the amount of genetic testing and counseling amongst those who have a family history of colon cancer to help determine their risk of developing colon cancer themselves as well as the likelihood that they may become ill before the age of 50.

One difficulty faced by some patients is that there health insurance companies may be unwilling to pay for colonoscopies at an earlier age, or at a frequency that exceeds the commonly accepted guidelines. This is where a physician should be asked to step in and assist, by providing medical notation that clearly explains why such testing is needed.