Launch of Colorectal Cancer Screening Project

2012-2-29

The Organisation for Oncology and Translational Research (OOTR) collaborated with the Hospitals, Clinics and Nursing Workers Union and District councillor Chan Yuen-han, Vice President of Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions in February 2012 to launch the Colorectal Cancer Screening Project in Wong Tai Sin, providing free fecal occult blood tests to Hong Kong residents.

 

There are few obvious symptoms noticeable to patients of colorectal cancer in the early phase of the disease. Through screenings, people who are more likely to develop colorectal cancer can be identified for medical examination and treatment of the disease. The Colorectal Cancer Screening Project was established with an emphasis on preventative care: early detection leads to early treatment.

 

Home to the highest age-population ratio, Wong Tai Sin was the initiating point of the Colorectal Cancer Screening Project. To raise awareness of the project and to increase awareness of cancer prevention, OOTR’s Executive Director, Dr. Louis Chow, gave a health talk on how “Lifestyle changes can prevent 30% of cancers” in Wong Tai Sin on February 23, 2012. Despite poor weather and heavy rainstorms that day, an audience of a few hundred senior citizens were still present for the talk which had to be relocated indoors.

 

Related news coverage: AM 730 – Chan Yuen-han’s column (Chinese only)

 

 

   

 

   

 

 

  

About Colorectal Cancer 

Colorectal cancer (commonly known as bowel cancer), ranks as the second leading cause of cancer deaths. According to the statistics of Hong Kong Cancer Registry, more than three thousand people suffer from colorectal cancer every year, accounting for 15.9 percent of the most common types of cancer. In 2004, cancer was the number one killing disease of the Hong Kong population; 1,538 people died of colorectal cancer, the second highest cancer mortality rate (13%). The incidence of colorectal cancer is more prominent for elderly between the ages of 40-50, and incidence continually increases with age.

 

Goal of Colorectal Cancer Screening Project

There are few obvious, noticeable symptoms (i.e. blood in stool or abdominal pain) to early stage colorectal cancer and polyps, making detection of the disease difficult.  The recovery rate is only 50% for patients receiving treatment long after recognition of the symptoms, in contrast to a recovery rate of over 80% for early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer. A majority of colorectal cancer cases develops from the growth of colorectal polyps on the lining of the colon or rectum. The timely discovery of cancerous polyps, removed in a colonscopy, could prevent colorectal cancer.

 

Through the Colorectal Cancer Screening Project, we hope to help discover from the large population those more susceptible to the disease, so they may in turn seek the medical attention and treatment necessary. Through the screenings, we wish to raise an important message about preventative care: early detection leads to early treatment.

 

Regardless of age, people are advised to seek the medical advice of their doctors if the above symptoms are present.

 

Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer

Abdominal pain; blood in stool; changes in bowel habits such as constipation, diarrhea; intestinal obstruction causing vomiting, constipation and abdominal pain; weight loss; anemia.

 

Risk Factors

People with a family history of bowel cancer: immediate family members have a 3-6 times higher risk; elderly; obese; males; personal history of bowel polyps or cancer; regular smokers; diabetics.

 

 

For more information about the Colorectal Cancer Screening Project, please contact us:

Organisation for Oncology and Translational Research

Telephone: +852 2117 8011

Email: info@ootr.org