Pilot project "population-based study into colorectal cancer".

The European code for Cancer Control recommands a population-based approach for colorectal cancer screening. In February 2009 a pilot study for colorectal cancer screening will start in Flanders. The pilot study can be split up into two parts. The first part of the pilot study focusses on people with an average risk for colorectal cancer. All inhabitants from Schilde, Vosselaar and Borgerhout aged 50 to 74 will receive an invitation to participate in the screening study. For the second part of the study, persons from 40 to 74 years old that are close relatives (biological parents, children, brothers and sisters) to people with colorectal cancer will be involved. This part of the study will be organised from seven selected hospitals in the area.The aim of the study is to obtain information about potential participation rates for a screening programme in Flanders. We will gather information on the differences between two invitation strategies, on the (non)participants (e.g. geographic, age, etnicity and social-economic characteristics). Next, the performance of the test (percentage testpositives, positive predictive value, detection rate for polyps and invasive colorectal cancer) can be evaluated. In addition, the project will review the screening programme's feasibility (required colonoscopy capacity, compliance, processing the test and follow-up results) and provide data for health-economic simulation modelling purpose.

Keywords:COLORECTAL CANCER, PARTICIPATION, CANCER SCREENING

Disciplines:Gastro-enterology and hepatology, Public health care, Public health sciences, Public health services, Social medical sciences