• CRC development
• Sporadic CRC
• The KRAS G12D mutant
• miR-148a
• miR-21

Gastroenterological diseases are a source of morbidity, mortality and costs, and have a high frequency in general practice; for this reason, we have evaluated the current literature regarding the knowledge and management of these disorders by general practitioners, finding little knowledge and adherence to guidelines, highlighting the need for continuous updating in this regard, and greater collaboration between specialists and general practitioners. (www.actabiomedica.it)

• Colorectal cancer
• Diagnosis
• Prevention
• Primary care
• Screening

• Colonoscopy/instrumentation
• Colonoscopy/methods
• Colorectal Neoplasms/diagnosis
• Colorectal Neoplasms/epidemiology
• Colorectal Neoplasms/prevention & control
• Colorectal Neoplasms/therapy
• Early Detection of Cancer/methods
• Humans
• Incidence
• Mass Screening/methods
• Occult Blood
• Physicians, Primary Care/organization & administration
• Primary Health Care/methods
• Primary Health Care/organization & administration
• Primary Prevention/methods
• Risk Factors
• Secondary Prevention/methods
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Although largely preventable, Australia has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world. General Practitioners (GPs) have an important role to play in prevention and early detection of bowel cancer, however in Australia this is yet to be optimised and participation remains low. This study sought to understand how GPs’ perceptions of bowel screening influence their attitudes to, and promotion of the faecal occult blood test (FOBT), to identify opportunities to enhance their role.

Interviews were conducted with 31 GPs from metropolitan and regional New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Discussions canvassed GPs’ perceptions of their role in bowel screening and the national screening program; perceptions of screening tests; practices regarding discussing screening with patients; and views on opportunities to enhance their role. Transcripts were coded using Nvivo and thematically analysed.

The study revealed GPs’ perceptions of screening did not always align with broader public health definitions of ‘population screening’. While many GPs reportedly understood the purpose of population screening, notions of the role of asymptomatic screening for bowel cancer prevention were more limited. Descriptions of screening centred on two major uses: the use of a screening ‘process’ to identify individual patients at higher risk; and the use of screening ‘tools’, including the FOBT, to aid diagnosis. While the FOBT was perceived as useful for identifying patients requiring follow up, GPs expressed concerns about its reliability. Colonoscopy by comparison, was considered by many as the gold standard for both screening and diagnosis. This perception reflects a conceptualisation of the screening process and associated tools as an individualised method for risk assessment and diagnosis, rather than a public health strategy for prevention of bowel cancer.

The results show that GPs’ perceptions of screening do not always align with broader public health definitions of ‘population screening’. Furthermore, the way GPs understood screening was shown to impact their clinical practice, influencing their preferences for, and use of ‘screening’ tools such as FOBT. The findings suggest emphasising the preventative opportunity of FOBT screening would be beneficial, as would formally engaging GPs in the promotion of bowel screening.

• Bowel cancer
• Bowel screening
• Cancer prevention
• Early detection
• FOBT
• General practitioners
• Qualitative

AIM: To study the epidemiologic indicators of uptake and characteristic colonoscopic findings in the Croatian National Colorectal Cancer Screening Program.

METHODS: Colorectal cancer (CRC) was the second leading cause of cancer mortality in men (n = 1063, 49.77/100  000), as well as women (n = 803, 34.89/100  000) in Croatia in 2009. The Croatian National CRC Screening Program was established by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and its implementation started in September, 2007. The coordinators were recruited in each county institute of public health with an obligation to provide fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) to the participants, followed by colonoscopy in all positive cases. The FOBT was performed by hypersensitive guaiac-based Hemognost card test (Biognost, Zagreb). The test and short questionnaire were delivered to the home addresses of all citizens aged 50-74 years consecutively during a 3-year period. Each participant was required to complete the questionnaire and send it together with the stool specimen on three test cards back to the institute for further analysis. About 4% FOBT positive cases are expected in normal risk populations. A descriptive analysis was performed.

RESULTS: A total of 1  056  694 individuals (born between 1933-1945 and 1952-1957) were invited to screening by the end of September 2011. In total, 210  239 (19.9%) persons returned the envelope with a completed questionnaire, and 181 102 of them returned it with a correctly placed stool specimen on FOBT cards. Until now, 12  477 (6.9%), FOBT-positive patients have been found, which is at the upper limit of the expected values in European Guidelines for Quality Assurance in CRC Screening and Diagnosis [European Union (EU) Guidelines]. Colonoscopy was performed in 8541 cases (uptake 66%). Screening has identified CRC in 472 patients (5.5% of colonoscopied, 3.8% of FOBT-positive, and 0.26% of all screened individuals). This is also in the expected range according to EU Guidelines. Polyps were found and removed in 3329 (39% of colonoscopied) patients. The largest number of polyps were found in the left half of the colon: 64% (19%, 37% and 8% in the rectum, sigma, and descendens, respectively). The other 36% were detected in the proximal part (17% in the transverse colon and 19% in ceco-ascending colon). Small polyps in the rectum (5-10 mm in diameter), sigmoid and descending colon were histologically found to be tubular adenomas in 60% of cases, with a low degree of dysplasia, and 40% were classified as hyperplastic. Polyps of this size in the transverse or ceco-ascending colon in almost 20% had a histologically villous component, but still had a low degree of dysplasia. Polyps sized 10-20 mm in diameter were in 43% cases tubulovillous, and among them, 32% had areas with a high degree of dysplasia, especially those polyps in the ceco-ascending or transverse part. The characteristics of the Croatian CRC Screening National Program in the first 3 years were as follows: relatively low percentage of returned FOBT, higher number of FOBT-positive persons but still in the range for population-based programs, and higher number of pathologic findings (polyps and cancers).

CONCLUSION: These results suggest a need for intervention strategies that include organizational changes and educational activities to improve awareness of CRC screening usefulness and increase participation rates.

• Colorectal cancer screening
• Fecal occult blood testing
• Croatian National Colorectal Cancer Screening Program
• Colonoscopy
• Uptake