Ontario is lowering the recommended age for colorectal cancer screening from 50 to 45, according to new guidelines published online by Cancer Care Ontario. The province’s change follows what the guidelines describe as a “notable” increase in the number of younger people being diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
The outlets reporting on the update state that the new screening start age applies to Ontarians at risk who would have previously been eligible beginning at 50. The decision is presented as a response to shifting diagnosis patterns, with health agencies adjusting screening to identify cancer earlier in younger age groups.
Cancer Care Ontario’s guideline update is the basis for the provincial recommendation. While the reports focus on the age change and the reason cited—rising diagnoses among younger patients—they do not describe any additional changes to screening tests, frequency, or eligibility criteria in the information provided. The change reflects an update to Ontario’s colorectal cancer prevention and early detection strategy.
