Colonoscopy remains the top choice for colorectal cancer screening amid new guidance

As new colorectal cancer screening guidance draws attention to the growing number of testing options, the American Gastroenterological Association urges patients and primary care providers to understand how those options compare. AGA experts emphasize that screening saves lives - and that the type of test matters.

AGA recommends colonoscopy because it is the only test that both detects colorectal cancer early and helps prevent it by allowing doctors to remove precancerous polyps during the same procedure.

Patients who choose stool-based screening should understand that abnormal results must be followed by a colonoscopy, and that testing must be repeated at recommended intervals.

AGA cautions that blood-based tests are less effective than colonoscopy or stool tests at detecting colorectal cancer and cannot identify precancerous polyps that should be removed before cancer develops.