Does a family medicine perform colorectal cancer screening?

The clinician asks about your age, personal and family history, bowel symptoms, previous screening, and conditions that may affect the plan. Depending on the assessment, screening may involve a stool test such as a FIT test, another examination, or referral for a procedure. Screening is intended for people without warning symptoms; an abnormal result does not by itself confirm cancer, but it does need the follow-up explained by your care team.

Book a family medicine appointment and mention any family history of bowel cancer or polyps. Bring previous reports and a list of medicines, especially medicines that affect bleeding. If you receive a home stool kit, follow its collection and return instructions carefully and ask what happens after the result. Tell the clinician about rectal bleeding, persistent bowel change, abdominal pain, or unexplained tiredness rather than treating these as routine screening.

Seek urgent help for heavy rectal bleeding, black stools with weakness, severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, fainting, or a swollen and tender abdomen. Arrange a timely clinical assessment for ongoing blood in the stool, a persistent change in bowel habit, unexplained weight loss, or worsening fatigue. These symptoms require evaluation even if a previous screening test was normal.

Which screening option fits my history? How should I complete and return a stool test? What result requires further assessment, and when should screening be repeated?