According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States among both men and women. This deadly disease is expected to cause more than 50,000 deaths in 2014 alone. Prevention and routine testing are still considered to be the best ways of fighting colon cancer. If you have reached your 50th birthday, gastrointestinal (GI) doctors recommend that you begin regular colon cancer screenings, since early detection is key to diagnosis, treatment, and a good prognosis for colon cancer.