Colorectal cancer screening. Crossing the threshold

Colorectal cancer remains a major cause of cancer mortality in the United States, Europe and Australia. Recently, significant advances in our understanding of the molecular basis of colorectal cancer have been made. These advances have been complemented by the results of several large studies which have demonstrated decreased colorectal cancer mortality by the use of conventional screening tests, including the fecal occult blood test and sigmoidoscopy. Taken together, these developments have added powerful weapons for today's clinician in combating large bowel cancer. In this paper, screening techniques for average and high-risk groups for colorectal cancer will be reviewed. We have crossed the threshold and have entered the era in which colorectal cancer will be increasingly diagnosed in the asymptomatic, at-risk population with a resultant decreased morbidity and mortality.