Results from flexible sigmoidoscopy study

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A study shows good uptake of flexible sigmoidoscopy in a screening program and reveals a benchmark cancer detection rate.
In flexible sigmoidoscopy (FSG), a lighted scope is used to examine the inside of the large intestine, from the rectum to the descending colon, where most colon polyps develop. FSG can be used to screen for colon cancer, as colon polyps can become malignant.

The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial has been set up to look at the effectiveness of cancer screening tests on mortality. As part of this, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh looked at a group of nearly 155,000 men and women aged 55 to 74, assigning them to FSG or to a control group.

The take up of FSG was 83.5 per cent, with women being more likely to decline the test than men. The non-acceptance of FSG went up with age for women but not for men. Of those having FSG, 23.4 per cent had at least one polyp. Three quarters of these had follow-up exams. The rate of cancer detected was 2.9 per 1,000 people screened. The findings create a US benchmark against which other FSG studies can be compared. It is encouraging to note the high acceptance rate, reflecting growing awareness among the public of screening for colorectal cancer, which accounts for 11 per cent of all cancer cases in the United States.

Source
Journal of the National Cancer Institute 6th July 2005