Colorectal cancer screening

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in the United States. Despite the high mortality and morbidity rates from this cancer, many policy-making organizations have disagreed on recommendations far screening asymptomatic people. This is because there is a lack of direct evidence from randomized controlled trials showing that screening decreases the mortality rate from colorectal cancer. This article reviews the current recommendations for screening in asymptomatic persons without known risk factors, the screening tests available, the current evidence for screening strategies, and the other important issues in choosing a screening strategy.