Opportunistic GP-based bowel cancer screening

To the Editor: Colorectal cancer is, after skin cancer, the most common cancer in Australia, with 11 245 new cases diagnosed in 1997, and over 4600 deaths.1 In clinical trials, screening programs using faecal occult blood testing (FOBT) have been shown to reduce mortality. The Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing estimates that implementation of effective FOBT screening programs would save around 400 lives per year.1 However, such screening programs have not been widely implemented because of perceived difficulties with patient acceptance, funding, and the complexity of support structures.