New figures, presented at the British Society of Gastroenterology’s Annual Meeting in Birmingham in March, highlight the quality of colonoscopy and pre-cancer detection rates in the UK since the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme was rolled out in 2006.
About one in 20 people in the UK will develop bowel cancer during their lifetime. It is the third most common cancer in the UK, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths, with over 16,000 people dying from it each year. The Bowel Cancer Screening Programme invites people between 60 and 74 years to complete a stool testing kit at home every two years. Approximately 1 in 50 tests show traces of blood, prompting referral for a colonoscopy. A study of 36,460 screening colonoscopies performed in England during August 2006 to August 2009 showed that polyps were detected in 46.5% of people attending for colonoscopy, significantly more than during the pilot programme. The polyps are removed during the colonoscopy, preventing them from turning cancerous. Commenting on the results of the study, gastroenterology specialist, Dr Matt Rutter said: “Cancer survival rates in England have often been poor when compared with the best performing European countries. As early diagnosis is vital in terms of a patient’s survival chances, these figures are very encouraging as we continually strive to improve our cancer screening services.”
