Should we adopt the recently published American Cancer Society (ACS) recommendations to screen adults at 45 years of age? The main reasons for adopting the recommendation include the increase of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the young, especially late-stage tumors. Screening at 45 years is also supported by predictive modeling, which the ACS employed using updated and improved models as compared to those previously used by the United States Preventive Services Task Force. Reasons against adopting include concerns with the models as well as diversion of scarce screening resources away from high-risk populations. Readers are provided with opposing viewpoints regarding the ACS recommendation.
1Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, White River Junction VAMC, and UCONN Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA. 2Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
Correspondence: J.C.A. (email: Joseph.C.Anderson@dartmouth.edu) or N.J.S. (email: Samadder.jewel@mayo.edu)
Received 22 September 2018; accepted 19 October 2018; Published online 1 November 2018
