Abstract
On a worldwide scale, the Czech Republic is among the countries with very high rates of and high mortality from colorectal cancer. Secondary prevention, i. e. identifying precancerous lesions – adenomatous polyps that are subsequently removed, thereby inhibiting tumor formation, plays an important role in fighting this type of tumor.
Population statistical data suggest that the risk of disease with this tumor type significantly increases with age, namely from the age of 50 years. Therefore, a screening program for sporadic colorectal cancer has been under way in the Czech Republic since the year 2000.
Persons over 50 years of age who have been asymptomatic so far are offered fecal occult blood test (FOBT). If the test result is positive, a colonoscopic examination follows.
A colonoscopic examination is newly performed even without a previous FOBT in persons older than 55 years. Other screening programs include sigmoidoscopy, a combination of fecal occult blood test and sigmoidoscopy, and virtual colonography.
However, participation of the target population in this program is still inadequate, particularly when compared to the screening for breast, prostate, and cervical cancers. Hence, it is our effort to add to the current methods a test that would have similar effectiveness in detecting precancerous lesions, but would be acceptable on a larger scale.
Colon capsule endoscopy (capsule colonoscopy) can become such a procedure.