Within a couple of years, all 55-year-olds in Norway will be able to take part in bowel cancer examinations. If the disease is detected early, the survival prospects are high.
Those who agree to participate will have their stool sample analyzed every two years until they turn 65. The sample is taken at home and sent to the laboratory at Akershus University Hospital. If blood above a certain level is detected, they will be offered a camera examination of the bowel, a so-called colonoscopy.
Bowel cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. Around 4,500 people get bowel cancer every year, and around 1,600 die from the disease each year. If the disease is detected early, treatment can be started early. If treated early, more than 95% of patients survive this type of cancer, according to the Cancer Register.
Women and men in Østfold and Vestre Viken were the first to receive the offer in May this year. The offer will be expanded to the rest of the country next year. In total, it will cover around 70,000 people.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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