Does my age impact if I should see a doctor if I have symptoms?

Your age may increase your risk of getting colorectal cancer, but it won’t impact the symptoms. Anyone, at any age, can get colorectal cancer.

If you’re seeing symptoms, regardless of your age, talk to a doctor and push for colorectal cancer screening. If your doctor refuses to consider colorectal cancer because of your age, seek out a second opinion. Note: If you get a colonoscopy because of symptoms, this will be billed as a “diagnostic procedure” rather than preventive screening.