Colonoscopy effective for cancer screening

Colonoscopy has proven itself in cancer screening

07/11/2014

Precautionary colonoscopy (colonoscopy) has proven to be an effective means of preventing cancer. This was the finding of scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), which analyzed data from the first ten years of screening colonoscopy. Thus, in one of 121 colonoscopies, a malignant tumor is detected. In total, around 180,000 cancer precursors were removed within the ten-year period.

Within ten years, 180,000 precancerous lesions were detected by colonoscopy
Germany was one of the first countries in the world to include colonoscopy in the statutory cancer screening program in 2002. An investigation by the DKFZ now confirms the usefulness of the investigation. „In order to find a cancerous precursor and thus prevent a cancerous event, 28 colonoscopies must be performed. In one of 121 examinations, a malignant tumor is detected early. But only one of 1,089 examinations leads to overdiagnosis“, explains Michael Hoffmeister, an author of the work.

The researchers evaluated data from a total of 4.4 million colonoscopies. „This is the most comprehensive evaluation of the national screening colonoscopy program so far“, explains study leader Prof. Hermann Brenner, who has carried out the calculations. In addition to the 180,000 cancer precursors, the doctors also discovered more than 40,000 cases of colon cancer at an early stage, in which most of a cure is still possible.

Colonoscopy around the age of 60 most often prevents cancer
The best chances to prevent with a colonoscopy of a cancer, exist around the age of 60 years. With older age increase the risk of overdiagnosis, it is said in a statement of the DKFZ. „In participants under the age of 75, only 0.4 percent of colonoscopies result in overdiagnosis - making colonoscopy far superior to other cancer screening programs. In mammography, for example, a significantly higher percentage of examinations leads to overdiagnosis“, emphasizes Hoffmeister. Under an overdiagnosis doctors understand cases in which, although the disease was recognized correctly, the findings would never have been conspicuous if it had not been sought.

The Secretary General of the German Cancer Society, Johannes Bruns, told the news agency „dpa“ positive about the study. However, a review of how often a benign tumor actually becomes a carcinoma is desirable. „Taking that into consideration, one or the other statement would probably have to be defused. "Compared to breast cancer screening, colonoscopy would, however, be much less likely to lead to overdiagnosis.

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