The impact of screening on colorectal cancer mortality and incidence: has it really made a difference?

ABSTRACT: About sixty percent of the US population of those age fifty and older are currently up to date with colorectal cancer screening recommendations. Has this level of screening made a difference for reducing colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and/or mortality? Randomized controlled trials of guaiac-based fecal occult blood tests, which have relatively low sensitivity but high specificity for CRC, have shown a modest effect but with a long-term reduction in CRC mortality. Newer fecal immunochemical tests are expected to have a greater effect. Randomized controlled trials of flexible sigmoidoscopy have also demonstrated a reduction in CRC mortality. Observational studies of screening colonoscopy suggest an effect of greater than fifty percent reduction in CRC mortality. We have assessed past tren

SUBMITTER: Zauber AG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4412262 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature