New guidelines for colon cancer screenings have been issued, with doctors now saying patients should get those exams at a younger age.

The new recommendation by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force says people as young as 45 years old should now get screened for colon and rectal cancer, which is down from the previous recommendation of 50.

The move reflects a growing concern about rising rates of colon cancer in people under 50 years old. Dr. David Rivadeneira, a Northwell Health surgeon, says it's a trend he's seeing among patients.

"Unfortunately, what we've seen over the last several years is a significant increase in younger patients," says Rivadeneira. "We have seen a tremendous spike in colon and rectal cancer like we haven't seen before."

The updated recommendations come months after "Black Panther" star Chadwick Boseman died at 43 after battling colon cancer since 2016.

Dr. Alfredo Torres, of New York Cancer and Blood Specialists, says there are a number of reasons why colon cancer is striking in younger people.

"We think the lifestyle that most of us are having ... increase consumption of processed red meat and food, stress, problems with bowel movements that lead to constipation will increase the chances of patient having colon cancer at an earlier stage," says Torres.

The task force's recommendation brings it in line with guidelines from the American Cancer Society, which lowered its screening age to 45 in 2018.

Doctors say people with a family history of colorectal cancer or who show symptoms should go for a screening sooner.

"Weight loss, abdominal pain, blood with bowel movement, either dark or red blood. If you were to see any symptoms, don't hesitate to consult your doctors because you'll probably need a colonoscopy to be done," says Torres.

Rivadeneira says early stage colon cancer is extremely curable. He says with treatments like surgery early on, the survival rate is up around 90%.