Screening for cancer of the colon and rectum

• Autor(a) principal: Melo, Miguel
• Data de Publicação: 2003
• Outros Autores: Braga, Raquel
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• DOI: 10.32385/rpmgf.v19i5.9977
• Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.32385/rpmgf.v19i5.9977
• topic: Rastreio; Medicina Baseada na Evidência; Cancro Cólon e Recto; Colon and Rectum Cancer; Screening; Evidence Based Medicine

Cancer of the colon and rectum (CRC) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality from cancer in Portugal. The role of Primary Prevention is debated. Despite the controversy, some models show that screening for CRC is cost-effective compared with no screening, although there is no solid evidence to determine which test more effective or cost-effective. As important as the choice of the test is to increase adherence to screening. The screening of the CCR should be performed from the age of 50 with occult blood in the stool (FOBT) on an annual or biennial. This strategy reduces the incidence and mortality from CRC. In high-risk population screening should start early, after 40 years. Despite the benefits of screening, more information is needed about the potential damage, population adherence and costs of different tests before being widely applied.