March Is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month - What Clinicians Need To Know In 2021

March is National Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Awareness Month. Annually in March, hospital systems, media outlets, and community partners look to gastroenterologists to promote CRC awareness, to advocate for policy change, and to educate the public about the importance of screening, early detection, and prevention. The goal of this article is to provide an update on what's new in the arena of CRC to support your efforts to get the word out about CRC. Specifically, we will review: 1) the recent increase in early onset colorectal cancer, 2) new guidelines to begin screening at age 45 in average risk adults, 3) when to start screening patients who have a first degree relative with CRC or an advanced polyp, 4) dietary and lifestyle changes to decrease CRC risk, and 5) resources with practical information about CRC screening tests to provide to your colleagues, patients, and community.