The State’s health and safety overseer is set to evaluate if bowel screenings should be expanded to include individuals aged 50 to 54. Colorectal or bowel cancer, primarily affects the colon and rectum, positioned in the lower region of the bowel. In Ireland, this disease is the second most prevalent cancer in men – not counting non-melanoma skin cancer – and ranks as the third most common type among women. Around 2,560 new cases were reported annually on average between 2018 and 2020. It’s also responsible for nearly 1,000 fatalities each year.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) has begun the study to potentially extend the national colorectal cancer screening programme for people aged 50 or over. The testing initiative, BowelScreen, utilises a home kit that identifies blood presence in the stool. If the blood volume exceeds the screening threshold, the individuals are then recommended for a colonoscopy. As it stands, those aged 59 to 69 receive invitations for screening biennially, with plans to involve those aged 55 to 74 down the line.
Dr Máirín Ryan, deputy CEO of Hiqa and head of health technology evaluation, noted that screenings can facilitate early cancer detection, potentially before any symptoms surface. She rationalised that the review would consider the advantages, potential risks, system-wide and ethical aspects of expanding the colorectal cancer screening age bracket for patients, the public, and the healthcare system in Ireland in general. This Health Technology Assessment (HTA) was initiated at the request of the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC), an independent advisory body.