In a computer simulation, FIT — fecal immunochemical testing — done every year saved more lives and cost the least of any colorectal cancer screening method, including colonoscopy.
The computer model looked at 100,000 average risk people and compared screening methods results for
- number of colorectal cancer cases
- number of colorectal cancer deaths
- cost of screening and treating colorectal cancer for each screened person
Compared to not screening at all, annual FIT could save 3 out of 4 deaths from colorectal cancer. For every 100,000 people between 50 and 75, nearly 3,500 people wouldn’t get colorectal cancer, and over 1,300 wouldn’t die.
Not only did FIT screening save the most lives, it was the most cost effective. It saved about $70 (Canadian) in screening and cancer treatment expenses for each person screened, better than any other method. Read the rest of this entry »
