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NCLEX · Immunizations and Health Screening

What is the recommended starting age for colorectal cancer screening in average-risk adults?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

45 years (updated recommendation — lowered from 50 in 2021 by the USPSTF and ACS due to increasing rates in younger adults)

  1. A 55 years
  2. B 40 years
  3. C 45 years (updated recommendation — lowered from 50 in 2021 by the USPSTF and ACS due to increasing rates in younger adults)
  4. D Only if symptoms present

Why this is the answer

Colorectal cancer screening: In 2021, the USPSTF lowered the recommended starting age from 50 to 45 years for average-risk adults, in response to rising colorectal cancer rates in the 45-54 age group. SCREENING OPTIONS at 45: Colonoscopy every 10 years (gold standard — can both detect and remove polyps); Annual high-sensitivity fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or fecal immunochemical test (FIT); Stool DNA test every 1-3 years; CT colonography every 5 years. HIGH-RISK GROUPS start earlier: family history of colorectal cancer or polyps — may start at 40 or 10 years before the age of diagnosis in the family member; inflammatory bowel disease — may start 8-15 years after IBD onset; Lynch syndrome — colonoscopy starting at 20-25; hereditary polyposis syndromes — flexible sigmoidoscopy starting in late teen years.

Source: NCLEX-PN, Colorectal Cancer Screening Age

Practice more questions

This question is from our NCLEX Practice Tests practice test. Take the full practice test to test your knowledge across all Immunizations and Health Screening and other topics.

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About this topic: Immunizations and Health Screening

Immunizations and health screening questions cover the childhood and adult vaccine schedules, contraindications, and the recommended screenings — blood pressure, cholesterol, cancer screening — by age and risk. This is one of 14 PN: Health Promotion and Maintenance questions on immunizations and health screening, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our NCLEX exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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