Organized colorectal cancer screening

Organized colorectal screening in France was extended to the whole of the country in 2008. People aged from 50 to 74 years are offered fecal occult blood tests (FOBT) every two years. Patients with individual or familial risk factors for colorectal disease are excluded from the program. Despite promotion campaigns, the participation rate remains low, at about 30 %. It has been decided that a quantitative immunogical test will replace FOBT in the near future. The evaluation and use of colonoscopy and recto-sigmoidoscopy as screening tests must be re-evaluated in the light of recent research findings.