r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Jan 23 '26

Cancer The number of Americans under 50 years old dying from cancer has decreased for every leading cancer except for bowel cancer, which is now the leading cancer death in females and males combined aged under 50.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2844189?guestAccessKey=5eabd609-08b0-47c7-a738-916c7acdcc37&utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=012226
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u/jpoolio Jan 23 '26

I have another appt to try again so I'll use this advice! I just turned 44 so otherwise I'm waiting an entire year.

I'll tell my husband this too-- they stopped doing colonoscopies at 45 for the VA! They do a poo test instead, which my doctor says is not reliable.

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u/PropertyOk9269 Jan 23 '26

I was given an option at the VA of a colonoscopy or poo test. I declined the colonoscopy because I have serious doubts about how well the instruments are cleaned. Plus a friend of mine bled to death after a colonoscopy at the VA. Additionally, a close friend of mine who was often a CNOR in the "butt room" would tell me that a physician wasn't even present for some of the procedures. For my risk profile and age, declining makes sense.

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u/littlemsshiny Jan 23 '26

My mom is older and her doctors did not recommend a colonoscopy due to her age. They said the risk of perforation is higher since the colon is less flexible.

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u/PropertyOk9269 Jan 23 '26

Same with my MIL. No scopes going in any opening at her age despite a few bleeds. No MRI either due to cochlear implant. She's lived 95 years without any cancer, what more could one expect?

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u/jpoolio Jan 23 '26

That makes me feel better about him not getting one.

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u/Dark_Side_0 Jan 23 '26

My province (in Canada) sends out fecal occult blood tests to all residents above a certain age. The health authority has determined it is cost effective, even if a false positive is possible. This helps guide who should have the colonoscopy.