Study: Annual FOBT Screening Cuts Risk of Advanced Colorectal Cancer

An annual fecal occult blood test (FOBT) appears to be an effective way of reducing the risk of developing advanced colorectal cancer, according to Japanese researchers.

The benefits of this type of screening program appear greater in reducing the risk of advanced rectal cancer than for reducing the risk of advanced colon cancer, the researchers reported in the British Journal of Cancer.

The researchers from Hirosaki University School of Medicine said they conducted their study in areas of Japan where an annual FOBT screening had been offered to all inhabitants aged 40 years or over.

They said the odds of developing advanced colorectal cancer were cut almost in half for those who had an FOBT screening within the previous three years compared to those who had not been not screened.

For advanced rectal cancer, the odds were cut to about one-third for those who had an FOBT screening, the researchers added.

"A screening program with immunochemical FOBT can be effective for prevention of advanced colorectal cancer," the researchers concluded. "Risk reduction appears to be larger for rectal than for colon cancer."

Other Sources: British Journal of Cancer