As March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the American Cancer Society encourages people to make their own luck and be proactive to prevent a diagnosis.

Colorectal cancer, often known as just colon cancer, is the second leading cancer killer in the United States of cancers that affect both men and women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This cancer often doesn’t show symptoms until it is advanced, so American Cancer Society Senior Community Development Manager Kim Durst recommends those at average risk begin regular screenings at age 45. Those with a family history of the disease, or have other risk factors including obesity, tobacco use, and a diet high in red meats, should talk with their doctor sooner.

Durst says the most recommended cancer screening is a colonoscopy, which detects changes in the large intestine and rectum, “What many people need to understand is the colonoscopy is not a big deal. It’s pretty easy, it’s not like it used to be where you had to drink a gallon of stuff to cleanse you, but you know it’s so much easier now and it’s one of the simplest ways to prevent cancer.”

If your colonoscopy receives negative results, meaning no abnormalities are found, those at an average risk are recommended to repeat the procedure in 10 years. Durst adds if colorectal cancer is found early before it has spread anywhere, the five-year relative survival rate is 90%.