Abstract
The nationwide Colorectal Cancer Screening Programme was introduced in the Czech Republic in 2000. The aim of this articel is to describe the employment of faecal occult blood tests (FOBTs) by the Czech population within the screening programme, and to provide information on the latest results of the programme.
Around 8000 patients are diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the Czech Republic each year, and the number of CRC deaths is about 4000. Despite the ongoing screening programme, significant improvements in the proportional representation of cancer stages (i.e., improvents in early detection of CRC cases) have yet to be seen.
Despite a significant increase in the participation rate in recent years , which was partiallly improved by the involvement of practical gynaecologists, the programme unfortunately still covers only a quarter of the eligible population. Implementation of effective measusres aimed at getting people interested in preventive examinations (including the recently introduced programme of personalized invitations) is therefore essential; otherwise, the screening programme will not be successful on the population level.