What is colorectal screening?
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Colorectal screening is offered to women and men from the age of 55. The goal is to detect bowel cancer or precancerous changes at an early stage.
Screening can be described as a search for something undetected. It is a way of identifying apparently healthy people who may have a condition like colorectal cancer, or is at risk of developing it. With screening, we can distinguish between those most likely to be healthy, and those who ought to be examined further.
How ColorectalScreen Norway works
In the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, you receive a test kit in the mail. You take a small sample of your stool at home and place it in the sample container. The sample is then returned in a prepaid envelope to the laboratory at Akershus University Hospital for analysis. The programme tests for blood in the stool, and you will receive the result within a few weeks.
The stool sample cannot determine whether or not you have cancer. It can only detect whether there are traces of blood in your stool. There are several reasons why bleeding from the bowel can occur. Cancerous tumors and polyps can bleed, but so can other, completely harmless conditions. 1 in 20 people who have blood detected in their stool have bowel cancer. In most people who undergo a colonoscopy, nothing serious is found.
If no blood is found in the stool sample, you will receive a letter informing you of this. You will then be invited again in two years, as long as you are between 55 and 65 years old. By repeating the tests, the goal is to detect more cases of bowel cancer.
Some participants will need a colonoscopy
If blood is detected in your stool sample, you will be referred for further examination with a colonoscopy at a hospital. This does not mean that you have bowel cancer, but that there is a need to examine your bowel more closely. If blood is found in your sample and you undergo a colonoscopy, you will not receive further invitations to the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.
In a group of 1,000 screening participants who submit a stool sample, 65 will have blood detected and be called in for a colonoscopy. Of the 65 people examined with colonoscopy, 2 will be diagnosed with cancer. In 38 of those examined, polyps will be found — some of which may later develop into cancer. Some participants will undergo a colonoscopy without any findings being made during the examination.
Who should not participate?
If you are in a control program already involving examinations by colonoscopy, for example after cancer surgery, for polyps or because of chronic inflammatory bowel disease, you do not need to participate in ColorectalScreen Norway.
If you have serious chronic diseases, the disadvantages may be greater than the benefit of participating. If you are unsure whether this applies to you, you should talk with your general practitioner if ColorectalScreen Norway is appropriate for you.
This applies, for example, if you are being, or have been treated for chronic or serious illness - or if you have a reduced general health or are in need of care.
Are you unsure if screening is right for you?
Colorectal cancer screening is a voluntary health service, and you decide whether you want to accept the invitation. Participating in ColorectalScreen Norway can have both benefits and harms. You can find more information about possible benefits and harms here.
Do you have symptoms? Contact your doctor
The aim of screening is to detect cancer at an early stage. Unfortunately, no method can detect all cases, and in some people, cancer will not be found through screening. Cancer can also develop after you have participated in the screening programme.
That’s why you should talk to your doctor if you experience persistent bowel symptoms, even if you recently took part in the screening programme. Examples of such symptoms include:
- blood in your stool
- changes in bowel habits
- unexplained weight loss
- a feeling that your bowel doesn’t empty completely
The risk of developing colorectal cancer is influenced by our lifestyle. Physical activity has been shown to protect against bowel cancer, while being overweight, drinking alcohol, and consuming large amounts of processed meat increase the risk.