[Examples of screening investigations]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Preventive Medicine

Context:

• Limited public acceptance of primary cancer prevention strategies necessitates a focus on secondary prevention.
• High mortality and socio-economic burden associated with breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer (CRC) underscore the importance of early detection.
• Despite established screening protocols, adherence rates for secondary cancer prevention measures hover around 30-40%.

Purpose:

• To highlight the critical role of secondary cancer prevention in mitigating the impact of high-incidence cancers.
• To review current screening guidelines and implementation status for breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers.
• To identify gaps in current cancer screening programs, such as the exclusion of PSA testing.

Summary:

• Effective and accessible screening tests exist for common cancers like breast, prostate, and CRC.
• Established screening programs include ileocoloscopy for CRC (over 55), fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) for CRC (over 50), and mammography for breast cancer (women 50-69).
• Annual examinations for prostate cancer are available for men over 45, but Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) testing is not yet included.

Impact:

• Improving adherence to secondary prevention guidelines can significantly reduce cancer mortality and treatment costs.
• Timely implementation of screening programs across all federal states is essential for widespread early cancer detection.
• Integrating tests like PSA into routine screening could further enhance early detection and management of prostate cancer.