Colorectal cancer screenings: a single center experience

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Gastroenterology
• Public Health

Background:

• Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a significant health burden.
• Early detection is crucial for improving patient outcomes and survival rates.
• Current CRC screening programs have limitations in population coverage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of existing colorectal cancer screening programs in Italy.
• To assess the effectiveness of screening in detecting early-stage CRC.
• To identify potential improvements for CRC screening strategies.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 1292 colorectal cancer patients.
• Data collected from Parma University Hospital (2004-2015).
• Comparison of clinico-pathological features between screened and unscreened populations.

Main Results:

• Over 52% of CRC patients were over 70 and outside the screened age range (50-69).
• Only 47.7% of CRC patients were within the recommended screening age group.
• Early detection of CRC is associated with earlier stage at diagnosis and improved overall survival.

Conclusions:

• Current CRC screening programs in Italy inadequately cover the population, particularly those over 70.
• The elderly population exhibits a higher risk for CRC, often diagnosed at later stages with worse prognoses.
• Screening recommendations should be reconsidered to include individuals over 70 to enhance early detection and improve survival.