How to improve colon cancer screening rates.

Colorectal carcinoma is a common cause of death throughout the world and may be prevented by routine control, which can detect precancerous neoplasms and early cancers before they undergo malignant transformation or metastasis. Three strategies may improve colon cancer screening rates: convince the population about the importance of undergoing a screening test; achieve higher efficacy in standard screening tests and make them more available to the community and develop new more sensitive and efficacious screening methods and make them available as routine tests. In this light, the present study seeks to review these three means through which to increase colon cancer screening rates.

The impact of colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death. Prevention of this neoplasm should be achievable by screening programs in asymptomatic patients. The objective of the present paper is to assess colonoscopic findings in asymptomatic people submitted to screening. METHODS: A prospective study was undertaken on 153 consecutive asymptomatic people submitted to colonoscopy. Sex, age, previous diseases, and familial cases of cancer, as well as tobacco and alcohol ingestion were assessed. Patients with rectal macro- or microscopic bleeding and colorectal diseases were excluded. Bowel cleansing, polyps, angioectasias, diverticular disease, inflammation, and neoplasm were also verified. Polyps were classified according to their size, number, and location. RESULTS: Colonoscopic alterations were detected in 99 individuals: polyps in 64.3 %, diverticular disease in 27.9 %, inflammatory mucosal alterations in 9.7 %, melanosis coli in 2.6 %, and angioectasias in 7.8 %. There was an increasing incidence of polyps in individuals older than 50 years. Multivariate logistic regression showed age and sex as predictive factors for polyps [odds ratio (OR) = 1.43; 1.19 < OR < 2.67]. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this investigation revealed a significant incidence of colonoscopic alterations in asymptomatic people submitted to colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening.

[Colonoscopic findings in asymptomatic people]. / Achados colonoscópicos em pessoas sem quadro clínico de doença colorretal.

CONTEXT: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death. Prevention of colorectal cancer should be achievable by screening programs in asymptomatic patients. OBJECTIVE: To assess the colonoscopic findings in asymptomatic people submitted to screening. METHODS: A prospective study was undertaken on 153 consecutive asymptomatic people submitted to colonoscopy. Sex, age, previous diseases and familial cases of cancer, as well as tobacco and alcohol ingestion were assessed. Patients with rectal macro- or microscopic bleeding and colorectal diseases were excluded. Bowel preparation, polyps, angioectasias, diverticular disease, inflammation and neoplasm were also verified. Polyps were classified according to their size, number and location. RESULTS: Mean age was 52.5 +/- 11.7 years. Family history for colorectal cancer occurred in 79.8% of individuals. Colonoscopic alterations were detected in 99 individuals: polyps in 64.3%, diverticular disease in 27.9%, inflammatory mucosal alterations in 9.7%, melanosi coli in 2.6% and angioectasias in 7.8%. There were an increasing incidence of polyps in patients older than 50 year. Multivariate logistic regression showed age and sex as predictive factors for polyps (OR = 1.43; 1.19