Despite the findings of a large European study suggesting that the benefits of colonoscopies may not be as strong as thought, doctors in the U.S. say screening does detect colorectal cancer and saves lives. 

The 10-year study, published Sunday in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that colonoscopies cut the risk of colon cancer by about a fifth, far below estimates from earlier scientific studies. What’s more, the procedure — usually performed with a long, flexible tube that is inserted up the rectum — didn’t help significantly reduce the risk of colon cancer deaths.

Doctors in the U.S. are concerned that the study’s results — based on more than 80,000 men and women ages 55 to 64 — could cause doubt about the effectiveness of colonoscopies, which are recommended for people in the U.S. every 10 years, starting at age 45. Read more HERE