Major health organisations, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American Cancer Society, do not use a strict “hard stop” at age 75.
Continued screening or surveillance may make sense if:
- You are in excellent overall health and have an expected lifespan of 10 or more years.
- You have never been screened before in your life.
- You have a high-risk history, such as a strong family history of colon cancer, a personal history of high-risk polyps, or inflammatory bowel disease (like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis).
- You are experiencing symptoms like rectal bleeding, unexplained weight loss, or major changes in bowel habits—in which case a diagnostic (rather than routine screening) colonoscopy may still be recommended.
