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According to a new study from Massachusetts General Hospital, encouraging women to get screened before the age of 50 would significantly reduce the number of deaths linked to colorectal cancer.
In France, with 43,336 new cases and 17,117 deaths in 2018, colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers. It is the 2nd leading cause of cancer death in men and the 3rd in women. This is why screening is essential: it makes it possible to diagnose colorectal cancer at an early stage, or even to avoid it by identifying polyps or adenomas. In this context, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital recommend that women “get tested before age 50″.
Colorectal cancer: screening for cancer before age 50 reduces risk
Encouraging women to get screened before age 50 would significantly reduce the number of deaths from colorectal cancer, according to the latest study from Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston).
To reach this conclusion, the scientists conducted a large study of 111,801 American women, spread over 14 states.
During this work, they noticed that early screening for cancer – between 45 and 49 years old – was associated with a greater reduction in the absolute risk of colorectal cancer up to 60 years old compared to screening between 50 and 54 years old.
“Early endoscopy before age 50 is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, including colorectal cancer diagnosed before age 55. Screening before age 50 is associated with a greater reduction in colorectal cancer risk compared to screening for cancer at age 50 or later.”observe the researchers.
They also point out that colorectal cancer develops slowly and silently from small lesions called polyps. Without screening, these can develop into malignant tumours.
Thus, the earlier a colorectal cancer is detected, the lighter the treatments and the greater the chances of recovery.
“Early detection would also be valid for men, but our study was only interested in women”says Dr. Andrew Chan, gastroenterologist and epidemiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and lead author of the study.
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This study uses a screening based on a colonoscopy – which is not the first screening examination in France. Since 2015, an immunological test has been available. It detects the presence of hemoglobin in stools through the use of antibodies.
Unlike the old test, it only requires a single stool sample – compared to six previously – and has greater sensitivity for detecting precancerous lesions (polyps, adenomas).
This is received in the form of a home kit (monkit.colorectal-screening.fr), which must be returned to a laboratory for analysis. The process is fully covered by health insurance. The kit can also be given by a general practitioner, a gynecologist or a hepato-gastroenterologist.
If the test is positive, blood is present in the stool. An appointment with a gastroenterologist is then necessary to perform a colonoscopy looking for the origin of this bleeding.
- In about 30% of cases, a precancerous lesion is involved;
- In about 8% of cases, a cancerous lesion is the source of the bleeding;
- In more than half of cases, colonoscopy finds no abnormality.
- If the test is negative (96% of cases), it means that no bleeding has been detected.
In the latter case, a test must be carried out every two years. If abnormal signs appear between two tests (bleeding, weight loss, etc.), a medical consultation is recommended.