Onkologie. 2010:4(4):251-255

Changes in colorectal cancer screening - a step in the right direction?

Norbert Král¹, Bohumil Seifert¹, Ladislav Dušek², Ondřej Májek²

¹ Ústav všeobecného lékařství 1. LF UK Praha

² Institut biostatistiky a analýz, Masarykova univerzita Brno

Almost ten years after the introduction of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in the Czech Republic, there has been a change in the

programme. The major epidemiological indicators of CRC, i. e. incidence and mortality, still remain unfavourable. Secondary prevention

of CRC has not fulfilled the expectations so far. The change of the programme consists in choosing an individual screening

method and modifying its interval. Primary screening colonoscopy, which is a new alternative, is expected to increase the adherence

of the population to the screening. A qualitative change has been brought by the use of an immunochemical faecal occult blood test

that is becoming increasingly popular with general practitioners and gynaecologists as well as patients. The cooperation among the

individual disciplines involved in the screening programme has become more in-depth. Through the media and other marketing

strategies, the awareness of the Czech population has been rising. The 2009 data on the procedures done by providers will suggest

whether this new form of screening is a step in the right direction. However, it will only be possible to evaluate the effect of the

screening after several years’ time.

Keywords: colorectal cancer, screening, screening colonoscopy, faecal occult blood test, general practitioner

Published: October 1, 2010  Show citation