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Updated: Mar 22, 2026
Evaluation of Colorectal Cancer Risk and Prevalence by Stool DNA Integrity Detection
Published on: June 8, 2020
Faecal occult blood screening for colorectal cancer in Serbia: a pilot study
Milena Scepanovic1, Olivera Jovanovic, Dusan Keber
1aEU Funded Technical Assistance Project 'Implementation of the National Screening Programme for Colorectal, Cervical and Breast Cancer in Serbia', HD European Consulting Group bDepartment of Surgery, Zvezdara University Clinical Centre cClinical Center of Serbia, Clinic for Gastroenterology and Hepatology dDepartment for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, Institute of Public Health of Serbia 'Dr Milan Jovanović Batut' eClinical Hospital Center 'Bežanijska kosa' fUniversity Hospital 'Dr Dragisa Misovic' gClinical Hospital Center 'Zemun', Clinic for Gastroenterology and Hepatology hMilitary Medical Academy, Clinic for Gastroenterology, Belgrade iMinistry of Health Serbia, Beograd jClinical Center Niš, Clinic of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Niš kDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, General Hospital Leskovac, Leskovac lDepartment of Gastroenterology, Clinical Center Kragujevac, Kragujevac mGeneral Hospital Kraljevo, Kraljevo, Serbia nUniversity Clinical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia oRegister of Digestive Cancers, INSERM U 866; CHU de Dijon, Université de Bourgogne, France.
Abstract:
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is becoming a major public health problem in the Republic of Serbia. Organized mass screening has been shown to decrease CRC mortality and even its incidence. The aim of this study was to assess the acceptability of a faecal immunochemical test for haemoglobin proposed by primary care physicians. From August to November 2013, a pilot study for CRC screening was organized in individuals aged 50 to 74 years. The study included 50 primary healthcare centres from all 25 administrative regions of Serbia. A qualitative immunochromatographic faecal immunochemical test for human haemoglobin detection was used. Overall, 50 894 individuals were invited. The participation rate was 67.8 and 3.4% of the tests were positive. Among individuals with a positive test, 69.7% agreed to undergo colonoscopy. The positive predictive value was 27.1% for adenoma and 14.6% for carcinoma. This was the first CRC screening project encompassing approximately one-third of primary healthcare facilities in all regions across the country. It showed a good response of the target population and satisfactory cooperation of the healthcare professionals involved.
