Are you at risk of colorectal cancer?

Nearly 30 years ago, Jane Elliott's father was still a young man when he died from Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) colorectal cancer. FAP is hereditary, so Elliott was determined to prevent herself from developing it.

So she told herself, “when I turn 40, I will have a colonoscopy – and that was at age 19,” Elliott said.

Eight years ago. Elliott got a colonoscopy. She was 40 years old and learned she had non-cancerous FAP colorectal polyps.

The doctor told me, "you have a 100 percent chance of developing colon cancer if you don't have surgery,” Elliott said.

Mantyh says most people with a significant family history of colorectal cancer should start screening by age 40. But with a FAP family history, screening should start earlier, Mantyh said. The cancer can be detected with genetic testing.

Elliott had a colon resection before cancer developed, and later discovered pre-cancerous cysts on her ovaries. She then had an early tumor removed from her pancreas.

FAP is rare and accounts for only 5 percent of colorectal cancers.