Colorectal (bowel) cancer (CRC) is the second most common internal malignancy affecting Australians.
Age-standardised incidence and mortality rates are falling, yet CRC still kills more Australians than any other cancer except for lung cancer despite the fact that CRC biology offers a window of opportunity for prevention and cure.
The adenoma-cancer sequence means that appropriately timed colonoscopy could dramatically reduce both CRC incidence and mortality by detecting and completely removing conventional and serrated adenomas, from which the majority of CRC arises. To maximise this potential benefit, colonoscopy must be performed to a very high standard at appropriate intervals.
Clinical Practice Guidelines for Surveillance Colonoscopy.
The guideline recommendations were approved by the Chief Executive Officer of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) on 27 October 2017 under section 14A of the National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992.
