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Bowel Cancer with no Symptoms: Results of the First 1,000 Cases of Bowel Cancer Screening
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Jockey Club Bowel Cancer Education Centre released the preliminary results of the first 1,037 participants under its Bowel Cancer Screening Program today. Four cases of bowel cancers were diagnosed from apparently healthy subjects so far.
Over 1,200 participants were invited to attend the bowel cancer health talk between May and August 2008. Among which, 1,037 qualified participants took up the offer of bowel screening. 597 participants (58%) had chosen fecal occult blood testing and agreed for yearly stool test until 2012, and 440 participants (42%) had chosen colonoscopy and gone through the procedure.
To date, this program has identified 4 cases of colorectal cancer (0.4%), 27 cases of advanced neoplasm (2.6%) and 151 cases of adenoma (14.6%). All cases identified with colonic diseases were successfully treated. There was no complication arising from the screening procedure except for 1 case of bleeding after endoscopic removal of adenoma. The bleeding was successfully controlled. Over 90% of participants who chose stool test complied with the procedures and successfully returned the test in time.
“Screening allows bowel cancer to be detected early and bowel adenoma to be removed before they developed into cancer. Screening should be conducted in subjects before symptoms arise. Many people have the misconception that screening is for those with persistent abdominal pain or bowel bleeding. Bowel cancer screening benefits those who are aged between 50 and 70 with no screening test performed within five years,” said Professor Joseph Sung, Director of Institute of Digestive Disease, Faculty of Medicine at CUHK.
“Those who have features suggestive of serious bowel diseases such as bleeding, weight loss, change in bowel habit and anemia should promptly seek medical consultation. They are not subjects for screening test anymore,” Professor Joseph Sung added.
The Institute of Digestive Disease at CUHK has launched the five-year “Bowel Cancer in Hong Kong: Education, Promotion and Screening” Project and inaugurated the CUHK Jockey Club Bowel Cancer Education Centre with the generous donations from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust since May 2008. Through detailed analyses of the findings, the Centre can assess the cost effectiveness of bowel cancer screening tests and advise the Government on the formulation of bowel cancer screening policies for the general public.
About CUHK Jockey Club Bowel Cancer Education Centre
CUHK Jockey Club Bowel Cancer Education Centre provides health and education services, support for people who are at risk of bowel cancer, and reaches out to the communities through its resources, events and partnerships with other health organizations. The Centre hopes to get the message across that early detection and prevention of bowel cancer can save lives. For further enquiries, please call 2603-1437 or browse http://www.cuhk.bowelcancer.hk/
From left: Ms Jessica Yuet Ling CHING, Nursing Officer, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, CUHK Professor Joseph Jao Yiu SUNG, Chairman of Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Director of Institute of Digestive Disease, CUHK Professor Simon Siu Man NG, Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, CUHK Professor Martin Chi Sang WONG, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, CUHK Mr Gabriel CHIU, Project Officer, CUHK Jockey Club Bowel Cancer Education Centre, CUHK
Professor Simon Ng and Ms Wong, a colorectal cancer patient (right)
