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©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 14, 2006; 12(42): 6747-6750
Published online Nov 14, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i42.6747
Published online Nov 14, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i42.6747
Colorectal cancer screening
Ramona M McLoughlin, Colm A O’Morain, Department of Gastroenterology, Adelaide & Meath Hospital and Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Professor Colm A O’Morain, Department of Gastroenterology, Adelaide & Meath Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland. gastroenterology@amnch.ie
Telephone: +353-1-4143851 Fax: +353-1-4143850
Received: July 12, 2006
Revised: September 1, 2006
Accepted: September 9, 2006
Published online: November 14, 2006
Revised: September 1, 2006
Accepted: September 9, 2006
Published online: November 14, 2006
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is a major public health burden worldwide. There is clear-cut evidence that screening will reduce colorectal cancer mortality and the only contentious issue is which screening tool to use. Most evidence points towards screening with fecal occult blood testing. The immunochemical fecal occult blood tests have a higher sensitivity than the guaiac-based tests. In addition, their automation and haemoglobin quantification allows a threshold for colonoscopy to be selected that can be accommodated within individual health care systems.
Keywords: Screening, Colorectal cancer, Fecal occult blood testing, Colonoscopy