Increased survival and decreased recurrence in colorectal cancer patients diagnosed in a screening programme

• The Patients with colorectal cancer detected by screening show a higher survival rate than symptomatic patients.
• The Patients with colorectal cancer detected by screening show a higher rate of disease-free survival than symptomatic patients.
• In this work the screening patients have a higher proportion of tumours in proximal colon (41.60%) than in the rectum (22.4%).

IntroductionPopulation-based screening programmes for colorectal cancer (CRC) allow an early diagnosis, even before the onset of symptoms, but there are few studies and none in Spain on the influence they have on patient survival. The aim of the present study is to show that patients receiving surgery for CRC following diagnosis via a screening programme have a higher survival and disease-free survival rate than those diagnosed in the symptomatic stage.Material and methodsProspective study of all the patients undergoing programmed surgery for CRC at the JM Morales Meseguer Hospital in Murcia (Spain) between 2004 and 2010. The patients were divided into two groups: (a) those diagnosed through screening (125 cases); and (b) those diagnosed in the symptomatic stage (565 cases). Survival and disease-free survival were analysed and compared for both groups using the Mantel method.ResultsThe screen-detected CRC patients show a higher rate of survival (86.3% versus 72.1% at 5 years, p < 0.05) and a lower rate of tumour recurrence (73.4% versus 88.3% at 5 years, p < 0.05).ConclusionsPopulation-based screening for CRC is an effective strategic measure for reducing mortality specific to this neoplasia.