Much less colon cancer noticed by corona: ‘Go to doctor’ | Inland

In 2020, almost 12,000 people were diagnosed with colon cancer, a decrease of 8.4 percent compared to 2019. The number of diagnoses has been decreasing for a number of years thanks to the introduction of the Colon Cancer Population Screening in 2014. However, according to the foundations, the decrease in 2020 will be mainly This can be attributed to the temporary discontinuation of the bowel cancer screening program in the spring as a result of the corona pandemic and the postponement of visits to doctors and GPs by people with complaints.

The decrease in the number of bowel cancer diagnoses is greatest among men and women aged 55 to 75. That is the age group that is screened every two years within the population screening.

Ernst Kuipers and André van Duin

During the worldwide colon cancer month, Ernst Kuipers, former gastrointestinal liver doctor and chairman of the board of Erasmus MC, and André van Duin, with whom colon cancer was discovered last year, together with the Maag Lever Darm Foundation and the Bowel Cancer Foundation, call on all Dutch people to be alert to signals from colon cancer and report complaints to the doctor. The call applies in particular to people over 50.

Since the introduction of the population screening, 21,000 cases of colorectal cancer have been detected. Ernst Kuipers: “The investigation was halted for some time last year due to corona. That is why it is extra important that people who receive an invitation respond to this. People can also be alert themselves. Always go to the doctor with complaints that may be related to colon cancer. Also in corona time. ”

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