Colorectal Cancer: Ideal Screening Research
According to Dr. Jérôme Loriau, a digestive surgeon at the Saint-Joseph hospital group, there is a need to improve screening in this population: "If all people who are at high risk of colorectal cancer do not get tested, there is indeed a effort to be made... These patients must be made aware of these patients at all costs."
Hemoccult, can do better
For people who do not pose a particular risk, there is no question of generalizing the practice of colonoscopy in the screening of colon cancer, although it is a widespread cancer. "This examination, which is invasive and requires general anesthesia, will never be a means of screening in the general population," insists Jérôme Loriau. "Widespread screening, by definition, should be easily accepted by patients, which are not aggressive, and reproducible."
For the general population, the best way to detect a possible colorectal tumour is Hemoccult®, a test that detects the presence of blood in the stool. But the test remains gives results still very unsatisfactory. As gastroenterologist Dr. Jean-Marc Canard points out: "Hemoccultscreening® is not enough."
So what are the solutions to effectively detect this cancer on a large scale? "The ideal screening method does not exist," admits Jérôme Loriau. "In any case, it does not yet exist. We expect a lot from the ongoing research. Research teams are working to detect circulating cancer cells in the blood."
Widespread and costly cancer
Colon and rectal cancers are the second leading cause of cancer death in France with 17,500 deaths per year and are the third most common cancer cases detected with 40,500 cases, or 11.1% of the 365,500 annual cancer cases. According to figures presented by Prof. Cellier, colorectal cancers represent an estimated cost of 10 to 15 billion euros each year to the French Society of Digestive Endoscopy.
A 4th National Free Information Day on the Prevention of Colorectal Cancer by Endoscopy will be organized on March 27, 2012 in gastroenterology practices in France.
Hemoccult, can do better
For people who do not pose a particular risk, there is no question of generalizing the practice of colonoscopy in the screening of colon cancer, although it is a widespread cancer. "This examination, which is invasive and requires general anesthesia, will never be a means of screening in the general population," insists Jérôme Loriau. "Widespread screening, by definition, should be easily accepted by patients, which are not aggressive, and reproducible."
For the general population, the best way to detect a possible colorectal tumour is Hemoccult®, a test that detects the presence of blood in the stool. But the test remains gives results still very unsatisfactory. As gastroenterologist Dr. Jean-Marc Canard points out: "Hemoccultscreening® is not enough."
So what are the solutions to effectively detect this cancer on a large scale? "The ideal screening method does not exist," admits Jérôme Loriau. "In any case, it does not yet exist. We expect a lot from the ongoing research. Research teams are working to detect circulating cancer cells in the blood."
Widespread and costly cancer
Colon and rectal cancers are the second leading cause of cancer death in France with 17,500 deaths per year and are the third most common cancer cases detected with 40,500 cases, or 11.1% of the 365,500 annual cancer cases. According to figures presented by Prof. Cellier, colorectal cancers represent an estimated cost of 10 to 15 billion euros each year to the French Society of Digestive Endoscopy.
A 4th National Free Information Day on the Prevention of Colorectal Cancer by Endoscopy will be organized on March 27, 2012 in gastroenterology practices in France.