How good is screening for colorectal cancer?

Preview

Colon cancer, the most common visceral neoplasia in the United States, remains a killer despite its high five-year survival rate. Screening of asymptomatic and risk populations may achieve earlier detection and increased survival but also poses some questions. What results can be realistically expected from screening programs? Will patients and physicians comply with the screening protocols? Once identified, how should patients with polyps be managed to prevent progression to malignancy? Drs Nostrant and Wilson address these and many more questions about the specifics of fecal occult blood testing on the basis of data from screening programs to date.