Should Millennials Start Screening for Colon Cancer?

There was a study about colon cancer published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. In the article, researcher Rebecca L. Siegel and her team looked into the patterns of people with colon cancer at different ages. Women's Health magazine broke down the new statistic, and it's shocking. "Compared to people born around 1950—when colorectal cancer risk was lowest—those born in 1990 have double the risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer."

I am a millennial and will be 25 in May. I can honestly say that I have never once thought about getting screened for colon cancer. The national screening guidelines currently don't recommend screenings until age 50, but that may change seeing as how three in 10 cases of rectal cancers are now in patients under 55.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. If you or a loved one experience any symptoms associated with colorectal cancer, talk to your doctor.