On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Jones discusses his experiences caring for younger people with colorectal cancer, and why you should talk to your health care team about screening for colorectal cancer by age 45, or sooner if you're at higher risk.

I'm 46 and had my first colonoscopy last month. The doctor said everything looked good, although he removed a few polyps. Can you explain what a colon polyp is and if should I be concerned?

Whatever your age, there are 5 other steps you can take to avoid developing colon cancer, the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.