13. You may need screening, even if you don’t have any symptom
As you can see above, not all signs and symptoms of colon cancer are readily noticeable. Many cases remain asymptomatic until it is too late, and the tumor has grown very big and spread to other organs. We don’t want to wait for symptoms, then.
Screening for colorectal cancer is recommended after age 45 years. This is usually done by performing a stool analysis that includes hidden blood examination and a visual exam that looks at your colon walls from the inside (colonoscopy). These exams should also be done on younger patients with a very high risk of colon cancer (family history or people with warning signs and symptoms).