Abstract
In order to improve colorectal cancer mortality rates in Aomori Prefecture, a model project for colorectal cancer screening was carried out for 3 years. The study targeted 51,541 residents in their 50s from Aomori City and Hirosaki City who had not undergone colorectal cancer screening within the past 5 years. In this project, 1) if the fecal occult blood test is positive, a further examination will be carried out at an insured medical institution, 2) even if the fecal occult blood test is negative, a colonoscopy can be performed, and 3) a colonoscopy can be performed without undergoing a fecal occult blood test. Of the 8,472 people who underwent fecal occult blood test, 2,767 had a history of having a fecal occult blood test within the past 5 years, and of the 2,592 people who underwent colonoscopy, 1,476 had a history of having a fecal occult blood test within the past 5 years.
Comparing the recall rate in fecal occult blood tests with or without a history of medical examination within the past 5 years, the rate was significantly higher in those without a history of testing (6.7%) than in those with a history (4.5%) (p=0.00004). In addition, when comparing the cancer detection rate, it was significantly higher in the group with no history of testing (0.52%) than in the group with a history (0.18%) (p=0.027). The number of people in whom cancer was detected at colonoscopy (detection rate) was nine (0.6%) in the group with a history of testing within the past 5 years, compared with 15 (1.4%) in the group without a history of testing, with the detection rate tending to be higher in the group without a history of testing (p=0.06).
It has become clear that it is important to encourage people who have not undergone screening within the past 5 years to get screened.
