Abstract
In order to offer appropriate screenings for gastrointestinal cancers, we need to know the actual situation. We checked the results of colorectal cancer screenings performed from 1995 to 2002 in Fukui Prefecture against the cancer registry, and found that interval cancer was detected, commonly in the right colon, in 19% of the screening examinees. Given the more favorable prognosis associated with interval cancer in examinees than non-examinees, we should encourage people to undergo colorectal cancer screening with confidence. It is essential to identify examinees at their workplace as well as in the community for calculating the cancer screening rate. To this end, the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions is available. However, this survey revealed that the colorectal cancer screening rate for Fukui Prefecture was 43.2% in 2013. This rate was higher than the 35.7% shown by the complete survey in the community and workplace performed by this prefecture, and this represented a challenge. Furthermore, the Report on Regional Public Health Services and Health Promotion Services showed that screening for personal health checks accounted for the majority of colorectal cancer screenings in 2011 but the percentage of examinees who underwent detailed examination was only 55.5%, being significantly lower than the 73.6% for mass screening. In the future, our society will need to play a leading role in promoting understanding of the actual situations and quality control to ensure appropriate gastrointestinal cancer screenings both in the community (mass or personal examination) and workplace for all people.
