NCI study: Prevention and screening saved more lives than treatment in five common cancer types over the past half-century

I performed my first colonoscopy as a board-certified gastroenterologist more than 20 years ago, at a time when the procedure was firmly established as the “gold standard” for colorectal cancer screening. 

For decades, we have faced a central challenge in colorectal cancer screening. One in three eligible Americans—over 50 million people—remain unscreened despite established methods like colonoscopy or stool-based tests existing for decades. This gap persists even though early detection saves lives, and even as colorectal cancer is now the number one cancer killer for Americans under 50.