Screening des kolorektalen Karzinoms

Colorectal cancer is common and suitable for screening. There is general agreement that screening for colorectal cancer in the asymptomatic population without familial risk should begin at age 50. The different screening methods can be separated into methods that mainly detect cancers (fecal occult blood tests, genetic stool tests, blood tests, and the M2-PK test) and methods that diagnose cancers and polyps (colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, CT/MRI colonography, and colon capsule endoscopy). Endoscopic methods enable detection and treatment of preneoplastic adenomas and, thus, make cancer prevention possible. In the current German S3 guideline, colonoscopy is recommended as the preferred screening test. For people unwilling to undergo endoscopic screening, the fecal occult blood test is an alternative. Colonoscopy has been part of the German Cancer Screening Program since 2002.