Compliance and findings in a Swedish population screened for colorectal cancer with sigmoidoscopy

• Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the patterns of compliance and the frequency of adenomas and neoplasms in a Swedish population. Methods: In 1996, 2000 men and women born in 1935 or 1936 were selected at random from the population registers of Uppsala and Malmo/Lund. All subjects were invited by mail to participate. In a randomised study design, subjects were either called up by a nurse to schedule the appointment for sigmoidoscopy or instructed to call themselves. At sigmoidoscopy subjects with a cancer, an adenoma (neoplastic polyp) or more than three hyperplastic polyps were scheduled for a complete colonoscopy. Results: Thirty-nine percent (770/1988) of all the invited subjects had a sigmoidoscopy. The participation differed between the two centres, 47% at the Uppsala centre and 30% at the Malmo/Lund centre (P < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference between the two different invitation groups. In all, 98 subjects (13%) were planned for colonoscopy. Thirty-one (35%) of the subjects having a colonoscopy were women and 57 (65%) were men. Fifty-five true adenomas were found in 46 subjects. All together, six subjects had proximal adenomas. Five adenocarcinomas were diagnosed, all within the reach of the sigmoidoscope. Conclusions: The compliance was lower and the adenomas were fewer than expected. To increase compliance it is necessary with rigorously controlled invitation routines. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kirurgi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Surgery (hsv//eng)

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