AIM: Colorectal cancer is common and a leading cause of cancer death. Faecal occult blood screening has been shown to reduce mortality. The aim of this study was to identify patients in Gloucestershire with a new diagnosis of colorectal cancer who had previously been screened via the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP). METHOD: Between 2006 and 2009, 1030 patients were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Of these 237 (23%) had been invited to be screened via the BCSP. Their clinical notes were analysed. RESULTS: Fifty-seven (24%) of the 237 patients had previously had a negative faecal occult blood result. Thirty-three (14%) had their cancer discovered as part of the BCSP. Seventy (30%) had already been diagnosed with colorectal cancer prior to invitation, 62 (26%) did not respond to the invitation, nine (4%) were registered outside Gloucestershire and had therefore not been invited, and three (3%) had died before the invitation. Of the 57 patients with a negative faecal occult blood test, 47 (83%) had colorectal cancer staged Dukes B or C, and 34 (60%) had a rectal or sigmoid cancer. CONCLUSION: Patients will present with colorectal cancer despite having been invited to participate in the BCSP, with many having received a negative faecal occult blood test. This could be considered a high false negative rate.
AIM: Colorectal cancer is common and a leading cause of cancer death. Faecal occult blood screening has been shown to reduce mortality. The aim of this study was to identify patients in Gloucestershire with a new diagnosis of colorectal cancer who had previously been screened via the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP). METHOD: Between 2006 and 2009, 1030 patients were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Of these 237 (23%) had been invited to be screened via the BCSP. Their clinical notes were analysed. RESULTS: Fifty-seven (24%) of the 237 patients had previously had a negative faecal occult blood result. Thirty-three (14%) had their cancer discovered as part of the BCSP. Seventy (30%) had already been diagnosed with colorectal cancer prior to invitation, 62 (26%) did not respond to the invitation, nine (4%) were registered outside Gloucestershire and had therefore not been invited, and three (3%) had died before the invitation. Of the 57 patients with a negative faecal occult blood test, 47 (83%) had colorectal cancer staged Dukes B or C, and 34 (60%) had a rectal or sigmoid cancer. CONCLUSION:Patients will present with colorectal cancer despite having been invited to participate in the BCSP, with many having received a negative faecal occult blood test. This could be considered a high false negative rate.
Authors: M Garcia; X Domènech; C Vidal; E Torné; N Milà; G Binefa; L Benito; V Moreno Journal: Gastroenterol Res Pract Date: 2015-02-24 Impact factor: 2.260
Authors: Thuy Ngan Tran; Marc Peeters; Sarah Hoeck; Guido Van Hal; Sharon Janssens; Harlinde De Schutter Journal: Br J Cancer Date: 2022-01-12 Impact factor: 9.075