Why do I generally recommend a colonoscopy before the guidelines do? Mostly because, of all the major cancers, colorectal cancer is one of the easiest to detect, with the greatest payoff in terms of risk reduction. It remains one of the top five deadliest cancers in the United States, behind lung (#1) and breast/prostate (#2 for women/men), and just ahead of pancreas (#4) and liver (#5) cancers. Of these five, though, CRC is the one we have the best shot at catching early. As it grows in a relatively accessible location, the colon, we can see it without any need for imaging techniques or a
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