Epidemiological evaluation of the organized colorectal cancer screening program in France. Results from 2009–2010
Since 2008, the national organized colorectal cancer screening program has been expanded to cover the entire French territory. It is aimed at men and women aged 50 to 74, who are invited every two years to take a guaiac test to detect occult blood in the stool. If the test is positive, a colonoscopy must be performed. During the 2009–2010 period, 95 departments conducted a full screening campaign. The results of the program evaluation carried out by the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS) are presented for 93 of these departments. Participation was 33.8%, with nearly five million people having undergone a screening test during this period. The positive test rate was 2.7%, or 3.2% among men and 2.3% among women. The rate of colonoscopies performed following a positive test was 87.2%, with high-quality examinations, as 93.2% were complete. Among men, colonoscopies performed following a positive test led to the diagnosis of an adenoma in 39.3% of cases and cancer in 8.9% of cases, based on the most severe lesion, while 35.8% of examinations were normal. Among women, 25.3% of colonoscopies led to a diagnosis of adenoma and 5.8% to a diagnosis of cancer. The result was normal for 53.3% of colonoscopies. Overall, cancer was diagnosed in 7.4% of individuals who underwent a colonoscopy following a positive test. The detection rate for advanced adenomas among screened individuals was 6.2 per thousand for men and 2.7 per thousand for women, with significant regional disparities. The detection rate for colorectal cancers also showed marked regional disparities, with an average rate of 1.7 per thousand ranging from 0.7 to 4.4 per thousand for men and an average rate of 1.1 per thousand ranging from 0.5 to 2.6 per thousand for women. A description of the colorectal cancers detected could only be provided for 40 departments, in which 2,613 invasive cancers were diagnosed, of which 42.1% were stage I, 23.0% stage II, 24.3% stage III, and 10.6% stage IV. This evaluation of the program provides an overview of organized colorectal cancer screening across nearly the entire French territory. It highlights certain shortcomings, particularly regarding participation and data quality. Future evaluations will allow for the application of these indicators at the regional level and the analysis of their trends. (R.A.)
Author(s): Jezewski Serra D, Salines E
Publishing year: 2013
Pages: 31 p.
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