Staying Healthy

By the way, doctor: How often should I have a colonoscopy?

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Q.

How often you should undergo a colonoscopy depends on the test and your risk for colon cancer. If you're at average risk and choose colonoscopy, you should have the procedure every 10 years, starting at age 50. Colonoscopy may be performed earlier and more often in people at increased risk, including those with a personal or family history of polyps or colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or a hereditary syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome).

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