Sigmoidoscopy Screening Can Reduce Colorectal Cancer Incidence, Death

THURSDAY, May 14, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Offering sigmoidoscopy screening reduces colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence in men and women -- with a greater reduction among men -- and reduces CRC mortality in men, according to a study published online May 12 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.Edoardo Botteri, Ph.D., from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo, and colleagues report on the benefits of sigmoidoscopy after 23 years in a randomized controlled trial involving persons aged 50 to 64 years. A total of 100,210 persons were randomly assigned to screening with once-only sigmoidoscopy with or without one fecal immunochemical test or to no screening. The intention-to-screen analyses included 98,654 persons: 20,552 in the screening group and 78,102 in the no-screening group.The researchers found that the 23-year cumulative risk for CRC was 4.3 and 6.0 percent in the screening and no-screening groups, respectively, among men. The corresponding risks were 4.2 and 4.7 percent among women. In men, the 23-year cumulative risk for CRC death was 1.4 and 2.2 percent in the screening and no-screening groups, respectively, while in women, the corresponding risks were 1.3 and 1.4 percent. The strongest effect was seen for rectosigmoid cancer. Screening benefits were not changed with the addition of fecal blood testing."Our findings suggest that a single flexible sigmoidoscopy can have a long-lasting effect on CRC incidence and death," the authors write.Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Sigmoidoscopy Screening Can Reduce Colorectal Cancer Incidence, Death

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