Simply put - your chance of developing many cancers increases with age. The reasons vary and aren't fully understood, but they may include the growing number of years you've been exposed to toxins.
To detect colon cancer early, get a fecal occult blood test every year starting at age 50. If your family has a history of colon cancer, start 10 years earlier than your relatives' age when diagnosed.
The American Medical Association recommends a sigmoidoscopy, or an exam of the lower colon, every five years after age 50. The cost: $250.
Get a full colonoscopy every 10 years. The cost:$1,000
Keep tabs on your colon
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