Colorectal cancer

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Screening of asymptomatic persons for colorectal cancer is not recommended as a priority at present. Many false positives and false negatives are yielded by affordable screening tests (ahlquist et sl ., 1993)and evidence for the benefits of screening is inconclusive (USPSTF,1989).while screening by sigmoidos copy may be efficacious (Levin, 1992;selby et al., 1992)it is expensive and of low acceptability in many cultures. Emphasis should be on primary prevention through a high-fibre diet.

Resource levels required. Medium for screening by testing for faecal occult blood or digital rectal examination, but results are inconclusive; high for sigmoidoscopy, radiological studies, and biopsy; high for surgery. 

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