The colon cancer It is the tumor with the highest incidence in Spain with 38,790 cases among men and women. And, Andalusia, with 6,351 diagnoses in 2020, is the community with the highest number of cases in the entire country. For its prevention, screening programs that covers public health are essential. In the last year, it has invited 2,028,334 Andalusians, at risk age, that is, between 50 and 69 years, to participate in these tests, which means, despite the difficulties of the pandemic, coverage of the 85,76%. However, the percentage of people who decide to accept the test remains stagnant at 29.69% and only the 19,20% of Andalusians complete their participation in the screening test.
These are some of the data collected by the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC), which on the occasion of the World Colon Cancer Prevention Day, which is celebrated today, has launched the campaign in Andalusia You keep me happy, with the collaboration of the comedian and presenter Manolo Sarria and to which other recognized Andalusian voices will join, whose main objective is to inform citizens that this test can save their lives.
The good news is that colon cancer, along with breast and cervical cancer, is one of the three that can be detect early. Hence the importance of population screening programs that aim to reduce morbidity or premature mortality associated with this disease and improve its prognosis. In fact, this type of tumor has very important differences in the mean survival at five years depending on the stage of diagnosis, going from a 90% in stage A (initial or localized) less than one 8% at stage D (advanced with metastasis). According to experts, if detected early, it can be cured in 9 out of 10 cases.
The Colorectal Cancer Early Detection Program Its objective is to reduce the burden of disease in the Andalusian population, in terms of decreasing incidence and mortality, as well as improving the quality of life in detected cases.
Colon cancer screening is carried out using a fecal occult blood test which takes place every two years. This test detects minute amounts of blood that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
People who agree to participate in these tests, only have to write your phone number in the space provided for this purpose in the letter they receive at your home address and forward it by post in the envelope with destination postage that is attached. Later they will receive akit for sample collection, which must be delivered to your health center. People who do not belong to the public health system can also participate and, in this case, they will deliver the sample at the health center closest to their home.
“Is about a simple test that allows an early diagnosis and the power to reach cures, even in 90% of cases. It consists of analyzing the presence of hidden blood in the stool and for this you only have to collect a small amount of stool. If this test is positive, the patient will be summoned to his health center to be informed and recommend other examinations “, explains the medical director of AECC Málaga, Felisa Rodero.
The collection of stool samples is done by each person at home with a ‘kit’ that Health sends
According to the data handled by the AECC, of all the screening cases that have resulted in the need to perform a colonoscopy very positive data can be drawn on the importance of prevention. According to the Ministry of Health, they have been removed 10,173 polyps of which 3,064 were high risk, which is a vital benefit for all people who have been prevented from developing colon cancer. In addition, they have been detected 276 earlier stage invasive cancers, which means a higher quality of life and more chances of survival for these people.
“If you test positive does not mean you have cancer. There are many diseases that give blood in the stool. But it is time to rule it out. In addition, through colonoscopy polyps or premalignant lesions can be detected that, if time, they would turn into cancers “, adds the doctor.
That is why, in order to make the importance of prevention more visible, the eight provincial headquarters and the more than 300 premises that the AECC has in Andalusia have decided to intensify efforts in carrying out information and awareness campaigns, throughout the year, on the colon cancer screening test.
This is how the campaign was born You keep me happy with the intention of lasting over time, at least, until the percentage of participation in the screening test increases significantly among Andalusians. For this, the AECC will continue to contact Andalusian comedians and comedians that, through humor, want to raise awareness about such serious issues as the prevention of colon cancer. “We cannot understand that resources are being used to achieve greater coverage of colon screening and that Andalusians do not respond to the call they make to us knowing that our lives can go to it. That is why we have opted for this type of campaign, because we deserve to be scolded and humor can be a good tool to get us to react, “he explains Francisco Aguilar, representative of AECC in Andalusia.
Andalusia is, with 6,351 diagnoses, the Spanish community with the highest number of cases
Felisa Rodero points to “ignorance”, “fear of the pandemic” and “laziness”, as some of the keys by which the Andalusians refuse to participate in these tests. “People are fine, they do not have symptoms, and they do not see the need to do the screening. But, of course, when one has symptoms, the cancer may be advancing at some point, there are metastases, and things are already another way. Colon cancer is a cancer that may take ten years to face and when it gives symptoms it usually already has metastasis especially in the liver and then things will no longer be as easy as being able to eliminate an incipient tumor, “he warns.
On the other hand, Aguilar applauds the involvement of the Andalusian administration, which has managed to go between 2019 and 2020 from a coverage of 57.38% in the number of Andalusians of at-risk age invited to participate in the programs to 85.76% but, at the same time, calls on the authorities so that, despite the pandemic, it is possible to reach the 100% of this population at risk age, just as other communities in Spain have already achieved. “Only in this way will we get closer to the goal of equity demanded by the AECC for all cancer patients,” he says.
Along the same lines, the Andalusian representative of the AECC stresses that “it is not only about sending the letter.” In his opinion, this process should be accompanied by awareness campaigns about what this letter implies and in which it is explained what the test consists of. “It is a very simple thing, but people do not know it because society lacks information. From here I encourage everyone to take screening tests, not only for the colon, but also for the skin, the breast … It costs nothing and can save your life, “he claims.
In the current situation of health crisis, the AECC also takes advantage of this day to ask the health authorities to keep these programs despite the pandemic. During the first wave they were totally suspended and, now, the activity would be resuming, “at different rates, but always with the maximum security measures “. From the association they emphasize that the safety in carrying out the tests, both for the facilities and for the professionals who perform them, and for this reason they recommend that the population attend the appointment when the invitation is received because “only by stopping the virus is will be able to guarantee to continue with the screening activity normally “.
