Program badań przesiewowych
Screening Program for the Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer
The Screening Program for the Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer (PBP) is the responsibility of the National Cancer Control Program. As part of PBP, free prophylactic colonoscopies have been performed since 2000. Since 2012, PBP has been sending personal, one-time invitations to colonoscopy to people aged 55-64.
The goal of PBP is to reduce the incidence and deaths of colorectal cancer.
Colorectal cancer is the second most common malignant neoplasm in Poland. Each year, more than 18,000 new cases are diagnosed. Colorectal cancer develops from benign lesions – polyps. Such a transformation usually takes several years. Therefore, by getting tested early and removing the polyps can prevent the development of cancer. Early cancer is also almost always curable .
Neither polyps nor early-stage cancer usually cause symptoms. The essence of prophylactic colonoscopy is to find these asymptomatic changes and remove them. Doing so reduces the risk of developing colorectal cancer by up to 60-90% .
Prophylactic examination should be performed between 55 and 64 years of age
The prevalence of polyps and the risk of developing them malignant increases with age. The vast majority of new cases occur in people over 55 years of age. The aim of the program for men and women between 55 and 64 years of age is to detect curable changes . At this age, 25-30% of people have polyps, and 5% have changes that threaten to develop cancer in the near future.
People who have received an invitation can participate in the study
Anyone who has received an invitation to colonoscopy screening is a candidate to participate in PBP. Contraindication to screening colonoscopy is myocardial infarction within the last 3 months, acute heart or respiratory failure, and active inflammatory bowel disease. In the case of severe chronic diseases, as well as any doubts, it is worth consulting with the attending physician. The diseases we ask about in the form are not a contraindication to colonoscopy. Information about them allows you to plan a safe and comfortable examination.
The invitation is personal and cannot be transferred to another person. The invitation contains a proposed date for the study. You can change the date. You can resign from the study at any time.
I have not received an invitation but would like to undergo a preventive examination
People who have not yet received an invitation will most likely receive it in the coming years. In addition, in the next four years, the possibility of undergoing the examination without invitation (under the so-called „opportunistic program”), provided that the qualifying conditions for the Program are met:
- all people aged 50-65 without symptoms such as gastrointestinal bleeding, diarrhea or constipation in the last few months for which the cause is unknown, and weight loss or anemia for no known reason.
- people aged 40-49 without symptoms of colorectal cancer who have had at least one first-degree relative (parents, siblings, children) in family (parents, siblings, children) with cancer of the colon.
- people aged 25-49 from a family with Lynch syndrome. In this group of people, it is necessary to confirm the diagnosis of belonging to a family with Lynch syndrome from a genetic clinic based on the fulfillment of the so-called the Amsterdam criteria and possible genetic testing. Only the first test can be performed under the Screening Program.
- people aged 20-49 from a family with familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome – FAP. In this case, a referral (confirmation) from the Genetic Clinic is necessary. Only the first test can be performed under the Screening Program.
People who have had a colonoscopy within the last 10 years are not eligible for the study.
You can sign up for a preventive colonoscopy by phone at 22 825 62 99 or in person at PFG endotherapy facilities at ul. Waryńskiego 10a and Aleja Niepodległości 18 in Warsaw, after filling in the questionnaire (which is also a referral). The questionnaire can be filled in by a physician of any specialty and can be downloaded here: . When signing up for the test, you will receive the necessary information on how to prepare for the test and its course (also available on the website www.przychodniapfg.pl / preparation-for-research / )