Colorectal cancer screening: The value of early detection and modern challenges

Table 1 Comparison of common screening techniques for colorectal cancer

Screening technology	Examination items	Advantage	Disadvantage	Applicable group
Non-invasive	FIT	Simple, noninvasive, and can be done at home	The sensitivity to early-stage lesions is relatively low, which may lead to false-negative results	Applicable to high-risk groups and some moderate-risk groups, such as those with family history, intestinal inflammatory diseases, etc.
	Fecal DNA testing	It can detect genetic variations related to colorectal cancer with high sensitivity and specificity	The high cost may limit its application in large-scale screening	Preliminary screening for the general population
Invasive	Colonoscopy	It can detect early precancerous lesions and early-stage cancers with high accuracy, serving as the gold standard for CRC diagnosis	It may cause discomfort. The examination is expensive and requires professional doctors to perform	Applicable for screening of the general population, especially for patients who have concerns about colonoscopy

CRC: Colorectal cancer; FIT: Fecal immunochemical test.