Evaluation of a combined screening programme for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers in France

A combined breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening programme was set up in 1990 in Isère, for women aged 50-69 years (target population 100 000) comprising an initial medical visit The programme was evaluated in 1997. The evaluation covered uptake results, sensitivity, specificity, two opinion surveys among 1025 physicians and 400 women to measure the impact, and three surveys regarding radiologists', gastroenterologists' and pathologists' attitudes. Sensitivity and specificity rates were 74 and 87% for breast, 83 and 99% for cervical and 43 and 97% for colorectal screening. The number of cervical smears completed by women aged 60-69 years doubled with the programme. Acceptability of the faecal occult blood test was 88%. Eighty percent of physicians were in favour of the programme but 67% said that they often prescribed outside the programme. Overall, 71% of the interviewed women said they had had a breast screen, 69% a Pap smear and 53% a faecal occult blood test when only 25-35% of the target population was actually recorded in the programme. This programme increased the uptake of women not previously screened both within and outside the programme. It showed discrepancies between beliefs and practices of physicians. Protocol changes were implemented after this evaluation.