Bowel cancer, affecting more than 250,000 people, is the fourth most common cancer in the UK.
Researchers from Imperial College London found that a single screening test reduced deaths from bowel cancer by a quarter and also reduced the chance of developing the disease for up to 21 years.
Published in The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The study was carried out by the Cancer Screening and Prevention Research Group in the Department of Surgery and Oncology and was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and Cancer Research UK.
Bowel cancer is currently the fourth most common cancer in the UK, affecting around 268,000 people. Bowel cancer occurs when abnormal cells divide and grow uncontrollably, affecting the large intestine.
The study included 170,000 participants aged 55 to 64 years who were recruited between 1994 and 1999. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: 57,000 were invited to undergo a one-time flexible sigmoidoscopy screening (flexisig), and 113,000 were not invited and served as a control group.
The test involves passing a camera attached to a thin tube down to the bottom of the intestine to view the inside of the intestine, and is a less invasive way to remove polyps and small growths in the intestine that may progress to cancer, as opposed to another common bowel test, a colonoscopy.
The two groups were followed up to compare whether a single Flexi-Sig reduced the risk of developing colorectal cancer and the risk of death from colorectal cancer. The results showed that a single screening test reduced deaths from colorectal cancer by 25%, and that this preventive effect lasted for 21 years.
Furthermore, when looking at distal bowel cancer, there was a 41% reduction in the risk of developing the disease and a 45% reduction in mortality.
Amanda Cross, professor of cancer epidemiology in the Department of Surgery and Oncology, said: “Screening tests have great potential to reduce cancer incidence and mortality.
“We hope that this data will contribute to the ongoing discussion about colorectal cancer screening guidelines and highlight the need for widespread implementation of effective screening programs.”
