Colorectal cancer screening reduces incidence, mortality and morbidity

Adhering to evidence-based surveillance guidelines will optimise the use of health care resources

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia in both men and women; there were about 17 000 new cases and more than 4000 deaths during 2017.1 It imposes a tremendous burden of disease, dominated by mortality rather than disability; in the 2011 Australian Burden of Disease Study, almost 86 000 years of life were lost because of CRC.2 The disorder is also a substantial economic burden; it costs more than $100 000 to treat one case of advanced CRC.3