Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in men and women in Europe1. The number of cases is expected to increase over the next two decades as a result of the aging population. This high mortality rate is due to the silent development of the disease as symptoms appear only in late stages when therapeutic response is poor. When detected early, colorectal cancer is highly curable and may be prevented through removal of precursor lesions known as adenomatous polyps.
Most colorectal cancers develop slowly over several years. They often start as benign precursor lesions and develop over time into colorectal cancer. Localized tumors confined to the wall of the colon are often curable with surgery. Over 90% of patients diagnosed at this early stage can survive the disease. However, if left untreated, the cancer will spread, reducing the survival rate to 70%. Once the cancer metastasizes the survival rate is further reduced to 10%2.
The European Commission3 and the Ligue Suisse Contre le Cancer4 recommend regular screening beginning at the age of 50 for average-risk populations as an essential measure for early diagnosis and intervention of colorectal cancer. Recommended tools for colorectal cancer screening in Europe currently include colonoscopy and fecal occult blood tests.
Unfortunately, however, the fraction of the population at risk that accepts these tests is alarmingly low due to lack of convenience and fear of invasive procedures, which is leading to an unnecessary and preventable high incidence and mortality rate of colorectal cancer.
Novigenix is committed to supporting patients and the healthcare community at large by providing a simple and effective blood-based test to reduce incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer through early detection of the disease.
References:
1) World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, GLOBOCAN2012: Estimated Cancer Incidence, Mortality, and Prevelance Worldwide in 2012
2) Colorectal Cancer Epidemiology: Incidence, Mortality, Survival, and Risk Factors. Fatima A. Haggar et al. Clin Côlon Surg. Nov 2009 22(4): 191-197
3) European guidelines for quality assurance in colorectal cancer screening and diagnosis
4) Ligue suisse contre le cancer
