Should My Patient Get A Screening Colonoscopy?

See personalized risk and benefit estimates for colonoscopy screening.

Compare the deaths or cases of colorectal cancer that are prevented to the number of complications

Serious gastrointestinal events: perforation, gastrointestinal bleeding, or the administration of blood transfusions
Other gastrointestinal events: paralytic ileus, nausea, vomiting and dehydration, abdominal pain

This graph above shows data for a ,
whose most recent colonoscopy was ,
has , and has a background cancer risk of

Moderate comorbidities include history of peptic ulcer disease, rheumatologic disease, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, paralysis, cerebrovascular disease, or acute myocardial infarction

Severe comorbidities include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, moderate or severe liver disease, chronic renal failure, dementia, cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis, or AIDS

Adjust these individual characteristics to see personalized estimates.

Events per 1000 screenings Your patient Low Benefit patient High Benefit patient Guideline patient
Cases Prevented
Deaths Prevented
Cardiovascular Complications:
Serious GI Complications:
Other GI complications:

The table above shows data for a year old ,
whose most recent colonoscopy was ,
has , and has a background cancer risk of .

Glossary of terms

Guideline Patient
A 75 year old with a prior screening and moderate comorbidities is the threshold example for when to stop screening. Current guidelines would recommend screening this patient but not anyone older.
High Benefit Patient
A 66 year old who has never been screened and has no comorbidities will greatly benefit from screening.
Low Benefit Patient
An 85 year old with a prior screening colonoscopy 10 years ago and moderate comorbidities will recieve very little benefit from screening.
Moderate Comorbidities
Include history of peptic ulcer disease, rheumatologic disease, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, paralysis, cerebrovascular disease, or acute myocardial infarction
Severe Comorbidities
Include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, moderate or severe liver disease, chronic renal failure, dementia, cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis, or AIDS
Serious Gastrointestinal Complications
Perforation, gastrointestinal bleeding, or the administration of blood transfusions
Other Gastrointestinal Complications
Paralytic ileus, nausea, vomiting and dehydration, abdominal pain

About this site

The data used on this site come from the following publications:

  • Personalizing age of cancer screening cessation based on comorbid conditions: model estimates of harms and benefits.
    Lansdorp-Vogelaar I, Gulati R, Mariotto AB, Schechter CB, de Carvalho TM, Knudsen AB, van Ravesteyn NT, Heijnsdijk EA, Pabiniak C, van Ballegooijen M, Rutter CM, Kuntz KM, Feuer EJ, Etzioni R, de Koning HJ, Zauber AG, Mandelblatt JS.
    Ann Intern Med. 2014 Jul 15;161(2):104-12.
    doi: 10.7326/M13-2867. PMID: 25023249
  • Comorbidity-adjusted life expectancy: a new tool to inform recommendations for optimal screening strategies.
    Cho H, Klabunde CN, Yabroff KR, Wang Z, Meekins A, Lansdorp-Vogelaar I, Mariotto AB.
    Ann Intern Med. 2013 Nov 19;159(10):667-76
    doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-159-10-201311190-00005. PMID: 24247672
  • Should colorectal cancer screening be considered in elderly persons without previous screening? A cost-effectiveness analysis.
    van Hees F, Habbema JD, Meester RG, Lansdorp-Vogelaar I, van Ballegooijen M, Zauber AG.
    Ann Intern Med. 2014 Jun 3;160(11):750-9.
    doi: 10.7326/M13-2263. PMID: 24887616
  • Personalizing Colonoscopy Screening for Elderly Individuals Based on Screening History, Cancer Risk, and Comorbidity Status Could Increase Cost Effectiveness.
    van Hees, F, Saini, SD, Lansdorp-Vogelaar, I, Vijan, S, Meester, RG, de Koning, HJ, Zauber, AG and van Ballegooijen, M
    Gastroenterology. 2015 Nov 30;149(6):1425-37
    doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2015.07.042. PMID: 26253304
  • Smarter Screening For Cancer: The Possibilities And Challenges Of Personalization
    Saini SD, van Hees F, Vijan S
    JAMA. 2014 Dec 3;312(21):2211
    doi: 10.1001/jama.2014.13933. PMID: 25461993

This site was designed and built by Dr. Sameer Saini and Jacob Solomon at the University of Michigan.

Disclaimer

The results and recommendations about colonoscopy screening provided by this site are intended to inform but do not replace clinical judgment. Screening decisions should be individualized and determined after discussion between the patient and their care provider.

Contact us with questions or comments

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