I am 82! And Mayo just told me to come back in 3 years. I will be 85. The Guidelines on when to come back are based on what they find.
I first did consult at Mayo to see if the risk vs reward given my polyp history in 4 previous colonoscopies and my new health issues warranted doing my five-year surveillance colonoscopy. They reviewed everything and noted I had a history of advanced neoplasia (in 2010 - two 10mm precancerous polyps). I was therefore scheduled for colonoscopy in hospital (given my age and breathing issues - other places also send elderly to hospital).
I was shocked that they found and removed three precancerous polyps each a different type and one was 12mm tubulovillous adenomas (20% to 25% harbor a malignancy).
I have multifocal lung cancer which can be managed, and one can live many years ....so I do not want another cancer which could also compromise my treatment options for my existing cancer. I tell my doctors to think strategically. I don't want to be locked into something because of the wrong choice. For example, I discovered I had a heart problem when I found out I had lung cancer. If they had put in a stent first, I would have had to take Plavix for 6 months to a year and then I would not have been able to do my lung surgery. Luckily, I knew about the need to take Plavix for stents and on the table when the Cardiologist shouted "blockage" I said "and what about my lung biopsy appointment?" So they immediately responded "we can medicate" and four weeks later I had lung surgery which found and removed a stage 1b cancer! "b" because it was bigger! Who waits on that????
And four months later I did the stent.