A grade for people age 50-75. I.e. generally recommended.
C grade for people age 76-85. I.e. based on individual considerations like previous screening history and overall health.
Full recommendation statement, including tables at the end comparing various screening methods:
Based on the tables at the end, colonoscopy every 10 years brings slightly more benefit in terms of colon cancer deaths prevented (24 for every 1,000 screened) compared to FIT every year or HSgFOBT every year (22 for every 1,000 screened; assumes follow-up colonoscopy on abnormal result). However, it also comes with more complications (15 for every 1,000 screened) versus the others (10-11 for every 1,000 screened), presumably due to the higher number of lifetime colonoscopies (expected 4.049 for colonoscopy every 10 years, versus 1.757 for FIT and 2.253 for HSgFOBT).
Not mentioned in the USPSTF recommendations is that colonoscopy is about an order of magnitude more expensive than doing FIT or HSgFOBT 10 times; only some of those following the latter guidelines will need follow-up colonoscopy. However, FIT-DNA is much more expensive than FIT or HSgFOBT; doing FIT-DNA 10 times costs more than doing colonoscopy once.
I found those charts interesting too. As far as I know, the chief medical concern about FIT / FOBT is lack of consistency with testing. (Patients don’t keep up with the recommended annual screening). But it seems that overall cost/benefit analysis would favor FIT in low-risk individuals if patient compliance were not an issue.
@ucbalumnus, in my experience people with abnormal colonoscopy results get repeat colonoscopies more often than every 10 years. My husband and I have both had polyps found on colonoscopy. I have to have repeat colonoscopy every 5 years; he has to have it every 3 years (I think because they found a different type of polyp).
If there are a lot of people like us, it might affect your calculations.
Here’s another article with some similar numbers-- from several years back: http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/in-loving-memory-of-kate/fit_beats_all_other_screening_for_effectiveness_and_cost/
just like the push to reduce mammograms and pap smears, I take this as agenda driven not as patient driven recommendations. it is a political subject so it can not be discussed on CC but this comes from the top of our government.
remember johanthan gruber the arichtect of this current system.
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2014/11/10/obamacare-architect-yeah-we-lied-to-the-stupid-american-people-n1916605
you and your doctor need to decide this out together not some “task force”.
If the medical office were like my Toyota garage: “You’re due for a squeeze, a poke, and a roto, would you like the teeth cleaned while you’re here?”
When I saw the title of this thread I thought it might be about some new technique for screening and got excited. I am on the five year plan and I am due. I had both an aunt and uncle with colon cancer.
Another article on the topic of colon cancer screening:
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/you-could-skip-your-colonoscopy-if-youre-willing-to-collect-your-poop/
From the article linked in post #1. For the population has a first-degree relative with colorectal cancer.
“A positive family history (excluding known inherited familial syndromes) is thought to be linked to about 20% of cases of colorectal cancer.1 About 3% to 10% of the population has a first-degree relative with colorectal cancer.7 The USPSTF did not specifically review the evidence on screening in populations at increased risk; however, other professional organizations recommend that patients with a family history of colorectal cancer (a first-degree relative with early-onset colorectal cancer or multiple first-degree relatives with the disease) be screened more frequently starting at a younger age, and with colonoscopy.”
So if you are in this population like I am, the decision should be made between you and your doctor.