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Screening for Colorectal Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) makes recommendations about the effectiveness of specific preventive care services for people at average risk and with no signs or symptoms of the specific disease or condition under evaluation. Recommendations are assigned a letter grade (A, B, C, or D grade or I statement) based on the strength of the evidence and the balance of benefits and harms of a preventive service. Costs of services are not considered in the evaluation.

In 2016, the USPSTF released a new “A” grade Final Recommendation Statement for colorectal cancer screening, which recommends screening for colorectal cancer starting at age 50 and continuing until age 75 years with one of several screening strategies. One of the primary differences from the 2008 recommendation is the addition of computed tomography (CT) colonography and multitargeted stool DNA (FIT-DNA) to the list of screening strategies.

Evaluation: The USPSTF is comprised of volunteer members who are nationally recognized experts in prevention, evidence-based medicine, and primary care. The USPSTF bases its recommendations on the strength of the evidence and the balance of benefits and harms of a preventive service. This recommendation statement was also published in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA.

Permissions: Made publicly available online by the US Preventive Services Task Force.

Publication date: June 2016

Post date: September 15, 2017

Contact: Submit comments, questions, and suggestions via web form.