[Colorectal cancer: Japanese screening program today].
Colorectal cancer screening using immunochemical fecal occult blood tests has been performed supported by legislation since 1992 in Japan. Approximately 3.6 million persons were screened and 5,400 cases of colorectal cancer were found in 1993. The effectiveness of the screening program has been evaluated by several observational studies. It has been strongly suggested that risk of dying of colorectal cancer would be reduced by 60% for those screened annually by the program. Japanese screening program today seems to be promising in terms of the mortality reduction, however, issues such as limitation of capacity for diagnostic work-ups should be resolved.
Saito
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First Department of Internal Medicine, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Japan.
D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008403:Mass Screening