The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aims to have 80 percent of people who belong to at-risk groups to undergo colorectal cancer screenings by 2018. A new CDC report found that the goal is possible. However, there are more work to be done.
In the CDC study, the researchers simulated colorectal cancer screening tests between 2014 and 2040 needed to reach the abovementioned goal. Using a mathematical model, they estimated how many people will undergo either fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) or colonoscopy.
Depending on which screening method is first used, findings showed that 5.1 million to 13 million colonoscopies per year are needed to reach the 80 percent goal.
If the CDC started a national screening program way back in 2014, about 47 million FIT procedures annually are needed to reach the goal by 2024. If colonoscopy will be used as the main test method, the goal requires approximately 11 to 13 million tests to be conducted.
The study also found that around 15 million colonoscopies were conducted in 2012 and that U.S. facilities are capable of performing 10.5 million more procedures annually.
"Screening saves lives. The good news is that our modeling shows that the U.S. healthcare system has the potential to meet our national goal of screening 80 percent of adults ages 50-75. Ask your doctor about screening — there are several options now," said lead author Djenaba Joseph, M.D., M.P.H., who is also the CDC's colorectal cancer control program medical director.
The study findings were released in the Cancer journal.
Screening Saves Lives
A separate study from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) showed that 72 percent of people between the ages of 69 and 89 were up to date when it comes to colorectal cancer screenings.
Among the individuals who received their FIT screenings, about 65 percent underwent colonoscopy as a follow-up procedure within three months.
However, the researchers noted that a significant chunk of patients are not getting screened or are failing to get timely follow-up procedures.
"There are many opportunities for improvement in screening completion among the elderly," said NIH researchers. The findings were published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine on June 22.
Colorectal cancer is the type of cancer that starts in the rectum or colon. In the United States, it is the second leading cancer killer, which leads to over 50,000 deaths and 130,000 cases every year based on CDC statistics.
During screenings, doctors look for abnormal growths called precancerous polyps, which can be removed before they turn malignant. Screenings can also help doctors detect cancer as early as possible.
Colorectal cancer screening is recommended for adults aged 50 to 75 years old.
