New research, which appeared in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, indicates that many physicians fail to prescribe routine colon cancer screening for a majority of patients they see regularly. Out of nearly 50,000 men and women aged 50 to 78 who were eligible for colorectal cancer screening in 2002 and 2003 in a particular health plan, more than half of those with frequent visits did not get screened. Lead author Joshua Fenton said the study shows physicians have to make sure that eligible patients are identified during primary-care visits and counseled about options.