Colorectal cancer: assessment of two-yearly screening of the population in health care examination centres]

Objective To present the first assessment of the two-yearly faecal occult blood test used to screen patients attending health care centres for examinations. Method The Hemoccult II(R) test was proposed by correspondence to 26 530 subjects aged 52-74 years, having exhibited a negative test during their periodical check-up 2 years before. Results The test was performed by 20 590 subjects and the corrected participation rate, taking into account unjustified sending, was of 83.1 %. The positivity rate was 3.5%. In the 519 colonoscopies performed (71% of positive Hemoccult II(R)), 23 cancers and 91 adenomas (31 larger than 1cm) were observed (positive predictive value = 22%). In 213 subjects, the information on the follow-up of the positive Hemoccult II(R) were unavailable or unexploitable (lost to follow-up, coloscopy refused, inappropriate examinations). Discussion These results show that the two-yearly screening for colorectal cancer in an informed population after a periodical check-up results in a good participation rate. The follow-up rate of positive subjects, fundamental for the assessment of the program, is lower than during the regular check-up but remains relatively satisfactory.