TUESDAY, July 5, 2005 (HealthDay News) -- Patients have a high acceptance of flexible sigmoidoscopy screening for colorectal cancer, according to the results of the initial colorectal cancer screening of thousands of volunteers in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian cancer screening trial.
The trial is evaluating the effect of flexible sigmoidoscopy screening on colorectal cancer deaths when the screening is used once and then repeated three to five years later.
Of the nearly 65,000 volunteers who had flexible sigmoidoscopy screening, at least one polyp was detected in 15,150 (23.4 percent). Of those, almost 75 percent had follow-up lower endoscopy. Cancer and adenoma detection rates were similar to those in other studies.
The researchers, from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, said the high acceptance rates and observed detection rates in this group of volunteers should approximate the results that could be expected from a flexible sigmoidoscopy screening program in the general U.S. population.
The findings appear in the July 5 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
More information
The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about colorectal cancer screening.
