11 hours ago, JTPR1 said:

An increasingly large segment of the U.S. medical community now no longer recommends regular (every-10-year) colonoscopies for those over 75,

Yes.

This was obvious to me from the very beginning.

It is logical.

The US Medical community, the majority, are NOT scientists.

They are not very much influenced by the scientific method.

They are often superstitious, meaning they exhibit superstitious behavior.

They are NOT scientists is the key unflattering detail here.

They need to spend a lot more money on REAL science, and abide by the findings.

Especially where they pontificate about diets, and diagnostic tests, and a whole lot more.

17 hours ago, JTPR1 said:

An increasingly large segment of the U.S. medical community now no longer recommends regular (every-10-year) colonoscopies for those over 75,

It has always been the official recommendation that screening for colon cancer be done up to age 75. Used to be ages 50 - 75, now ages 45 - 75 due to rising incidence of colon cancer in younger people.

The guidance above age 75 is "For adults aged 76 to 85, the decision to be screened should be made individually, based on overall health and prior screening".

https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/colorectal-cancer-screening

The issue at older ages is that the risks of colonoscopy increase with age while the potential benefit in years of life from early detection obviously decrease. And the likelihood of having relative contraindications to colonoscopy (such as being on anticoagulant therapy etc) also increases with age.

However, these factors will obviously vary by individual. Someone with known risk factors (history of large of multiple pre-cancerous polyps., family history of colon cancer etc) but otherwise very strong, active and healthy (i.e. likley to live another 20 years or more) might opt to continue screening past age 75.

There is also the option of switching to less invasive screening tests like stool tests.

Actually many health screenings stop making much sense as one gets very old. My 95 years old mother does not get yearly mammograms anymore, for example. Why would she?

One useful way of looking at it is to ask what one would want to do if there were a positive screening finding, given overall age and state of health.

On 6/9/2026 at 3:18 PM, Sheryl said:

Actually many health screenings stop making much sense as one gets very old.

Right. I noted that the coronary calcium CT scans (CAC scores), which measure the severity of calcification in your coronary arteries and rates your chance of major cardiac/stroke event in coming years is not recommended for those over 70. I think it's recommended for males 40-70 and women 50ish to 70. Seems a bit arbitrary, but like you say, if a 75 year old took the CAC scan and found out he has a very high chance of a major cardiac event in the next ten years? Then what?

6 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

Right. I noted that the coronary calcium CT scans (CAC scores), which measure the severity of calcification in your coronary arteries and rates your chance of major cardiac/stroke event in coming years is not recommended for those over 70. I think it's recommended for males 40-70 and women 50ish to 70. Seems a bit arbitrary, but like you say, if a 75 year old took the CAC scan and found out he has a very high chance of a major cardiac event in the next ten years? Then what?

The only intervention recommended for people with elevated CAC score if asymptomatic is to address risk factors e.g. lipids, hypertension, elevated blood glucose. All of which can be done anyhow based on simple blood test.

BUT, CAC score can be very helpful in deciding whether or not to take statins in cases of mildly elevated lipids.

Age recommendations are relative, people in their 70"s vary enormously in how healthy and fit they are. Frankly 70 is not very old these days, its is sort of the new 60 for many people.