[Cancer screening programme in health care workers]

From the 2002 through 2009 years 419 health care workers of the Hospital of Lecco, occupationally exposed to X-ray, were invited to undergo a cancer screening programme for the early diagnosis of cervical, breast, colorectal and prostate cancers. A total of 341 subjects performed the screening tests with an overall compliance of 83,8%; the participation rate to each test was significantly higher than that of general population. Breast cancer was diagnosed and treated in 5 women, cervical premalignant lesions in 8 women and colorectal adenomas in 13 subjects; no prostate cancer was detected. The participation rate, the premalignant and malignant findings and the cost-effectiveness analysis are consistent with the possibility that cancer screening programme can be set out as health promotion activity in health care workers.