[Epidemiology, risk factors and current screening in rectal cancer]

Epidemiology, risk factors and current screening in rectal cancer. Incidence and survival data from the Francim Cancer Registry Network allowed an estimate of the national incidence of rectal cancer and its prognosis up to 20 years after diagnosis.In 2018, 13 744 new cases of rectal cancer were diagnosed in France. Its incidence slightly decreased since 1990. The M/F sex ratio has steadily decreased over time from 2.1 to 1.8. Forty-seven percent of cancers were diagnosed at a local extension stage, 20 % at a regional extension stage and 34 % at an advanced stage. Individuals of both sexes over 50 years of age are at medium risk for rectal cancer.Five-year net survival was 60 % in men and 59 % in women. At 10-year, it was 54 % for individuals aged 50 and 47 % for those aged 70 at time of diagnosis. Excess mortality related to cancer mostly occurred within the first year after diagnosis. It decreased up to 10 years after diagnosis and remained stable.The use of the immunological test for fecal occult bleeding in France is not efficient because of a participation too low, of the order of 30 %, well below the 45 % required to ensure the efficiency of the screening program.