Family Physician: A Friend to Depend On

Posted on: 12 December 2022

When it comes to colon cancer, family history can play an important factor. Knowing your family's health history can help determine if you should have a colonoscopy and how early you should start getting screened. Here's why understanding your family's medical background is so important when it comes to colonoscopies.

What Is a Colonoscopy?

A colonoscopy is a medical procedure used to examine the inside of the large intestine or colon. During a colonoscopy, a doctor uses a long, flexible tube with a tiny camera on the end to look inside the colon. The doctor is looking for signs of colon cancer, including pre-cancerous polyps. The American Cancer Society recommends that adults have their first colonoscopy by age 45 and every ten years thereafter. This recommendation changes, however, if you have a family history of colon cancer.

What Is the Importance of Family History?

Knowing your family's medical history is key to understanding your own risks of developing certain diseases and conditions, including colon cancer. If a parent or sibling has been diagnosed with colon cancer, then you may be at higher risk for the disease. In this case, it may be recommended that you begin screening earlier than the general population. The Centers for Disease Control suggest starting colon cancer screenings as early as 40, or "10 years before the age that the immediate family member was diagnosed with cancer." In other words, if a family member was diagnosed with colon cancer at 44, you need to start your screenings by age 34. Additionally, experts suggest that screenings occur more often, preferably every five years.

Is There Genetic Testing Available?

In some cases, genetic testing may be recommended if there is a strong family history of colorectal cancer. Genetic tests look for mutations in specific genes that have been associated with an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. If a mutation is identified in these genes, changes may need to be made to your screening schedule, or other precautions may need to be taken. Your doctor will discuss any potential next steps with you in detail should a mutation be found on any genetic tests you take.  

A thorough understanding of your family's medical background can provide valuable insight into potential health risks you might face in the future and any adjustments that might need to be made to ensure optimal health outcomes, including regular colonoscopies at the appropriate age and frequency for you. Click here for more information or talk with your primary care physician about your personal medical history today.