Journal of the National Cancer Institute
-
J. Natl. Cancer Inst. · Mar 1999
Colorectal cancer mortality: effectiveness of biennial screening for fecal occult blood.
In 1993, a randomized controlled trial in Minnesota showed, after 13 years of follow-up, that annual fecal occult blood testing was effective in reducing colorectal cancer mortality by at least 33%. Biennial screening (i.e., every 2 years) resulted in only a 6% mortality reduction. Two European trials (in England and in Denmark) subsequently showed statistically significant 15% and 18% mortality reductions with biennial screening. Herein, we provide updated results-through 18 years of follow-up--from the Minnesota trial that address the apparent inconsistent findings among the trials regarding biennial screening. ⋯ The results from this study, together with the other two published randomized trials of fecal occult blood screening, are consistent in demonstrating a substantial, statistically significant reduction in colorectal cancer mortality from biennial screening.