Don’t stall — your butt is on the line.

Nearly 53,000 Americans are expected to die of colorectal cancer this year, making it one of the deadliest cancers in the US. Though the death rate has been declining in older adults, it has been steadily rising among people younger than 55 since the 1990s.

Because of this worrisome trend, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) lowered its recommendation for starting colorectal cancer screening from age 50 to 45 in 2021. The American Cancer Society (ACS) made the same suggestion in 2018 for people at average risk for the disease. 4

New research out Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows the guidance is working. Colorectal cancer screening among Americans aged 45 to 49 rose by 62% from 2019 to 2023.

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