Some people may be able to stretch out the time between colonoscopies

A new study raises the question whether some people can wait longer than the recommended 10 years to repeat a colonoscopy after a negative initial screening for colorectal cancer.

 

The study looked at 120,000 people 65 and older in Germany from 2013 to 2019 who had a colonoscopy 10 or more years after an initial negative screening, and it compared them with all colonoscopy screenings conducted on people 65 or older in that time period – most of whom were being screened for the first time.

 

It found that the presence of precancerous or cancerous growths was 40% to 50% lower among the repeat screeners, finding advanced growths or cancers in only 4% to 5% of women and 5% to 7% of men 10 or more years after a negative colonoscopy.

 

The researchers also evaluated whether the number of abnormal growths differed between men and women, finding the prevalence 40% higher in men.

When looking by age, detection rates were highest among those 75 years and older.

 

Current US guidelines recommend screening for colorectal cancer in all adults 45 to 75 years old. The recommendations were recently changed to start screening at 45 instead of 50 in response to more cancer being diagnosed at younger ages. If the screening is negative, people don’t need another for 10 years.

 

The study’s authors conclude that 10-year screening intervals for colonoscopies are safe, and they suggest that extending the intervals may be warranted in some instances, especially for women and younger people without gastrointestinal symptoms.