Who is Cologuard for?
If you are 45 and older and at average risk for colon cancer, Cologuard may be right for you. Cologuard is not for everyone. It is not a replacement for diagnostic or surveillance colonoscopy in high risk individuals. Ask a healthcare provider if Cologuard is right for you.
Cologuard may not be right for you if:
- You have a personal history of colon cancer, adenomas, or other related cancers
- You have a family history of colon cancer (one or more first-degree relatives diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer before the age of 60, or two or more first degree relatives diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer of any age)
- You have had a positive result from another screening method in the last six months
- You have been diagnosed with a condition that places you at high risk for colon cancer. These include but are not limited to: inflammatory bowel disease, chronic ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, familial adenomatous polyposis
- You have been diagnosed with a relevant cancer syndrome passed on from your family, such as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, MYH-associated polyposis, Gardner’s syndrome, Turcot’s (or Crail’s) syndrome, Cowden’s syndrome, juvenile polyposis, Cronkhite-Canada syndrome, neurofibromatosis, or familial hyperplastic polyposis
Results should be interpreted with caution for individuals over age 75, as the rate of false positives increases with age
