The older we grow, the more different senior health concerns become. Somewhere around the time you pass 50 years of age, you’ll notice your doctor starting to ask a slightly different set of questions about your health. For example, he’s suddenly starting to notice your colon.

Personally, it was not something I had given an iota of thinking-time to in my entire life.

The reason, of course, is that the colon starts to become more important as we grow older. Especially as the colon relates to colorectal cancer, one of the top cancers in the U.S. (number 3 killer of men 50+, number 2 killer of women 50+. So if you’re over 50, start boning up on colorectal cancer and its prevention, because you’re going to hear a lot about it from now on. March is colorectal cancer month, so this is an especially timely occasion upon which to bring it up.

Monitoring your colon and its potential for cancer is especially important if you have any family history of colon or rectal cancer. The preferred monitoring procedure used by physicians is a colonoscopy, in which a camera is inserted into your intestinal tract to look for potentially cancerous polyps. I know, sounds awful, but with three such procedures already behind me, I can tell you it’s usually no big deal. They’re normally painless, and you’re unconscious during the whole procedure.

If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, your physician may suggest having a colonoscopy every 5 years. If no history, it may be as long as every 10 years until you’re well into your late 70’s or even early 80’s. Colon cancer is usually a relatively slow growing cancer, so if a cancerous polyp is discovered during the procedure, patients can normally be treated successfully. The point is, however, you need to speak to your physician about the health of your colon if you’re over 50 years of age (assuming he doesn’t bring it up first.)

Incidentally, there are now virtual colonoscopy procedures available, in which the examination is done non-invasively using various types of x-ray technology. That means you just lay down on a table and they take pictures—no anesthesia and no recovery times. You walk out a few minutes later. With the more invasive colonoscopy, there is anesthesia involved, and you have to have someone drive you home after the procedure (which lasts about 15 minutes or so.)

The good news is that this is a highly treatable cancer, should you get it, and you should keep it high on your Health Care Watch List after age 50, especially if any of your relatives has been diagnosed with it.