Colon cancer screening
Participation in the screening is free for all insured and uninsured individuals who belong to the target group for the screening in the current year. Additionally, any further examinations and treatments identified during the screening are also free of charge.
The screening of the colon cancer is an effective method. It allows the detection of colon cancer at an earlier stage or prior to its onset, i.e. in the pre-cancerous state, when a person has low or high risk polyps.
Population-based screening programs are available in several countries to reduce the incidence and mortality of colon cancer. In most countries, the latent blood test has been used as a screening method. This examination allows the detection of blood in the stool sample. Coloscopy or colon examination with an instrument equipped with a tubular video camera will only be applied in case of people with a positive response to the latent blood test.
Men and women aged 60-68 and having health insurance participate in the colon cancer screening every two years.
The Cancer Screening Register collects data from the population register, cancer register and health information system, and forms a screening target group. Invitations on behalf of the family physician will be sent by post to people participating in the screening to the addresses shown in the population register. In the invitation, information is provided that a person taking part in the screening receives a stool sampling kit from his/her family doctor centre and he/she has to book for a family nurse reception.
At the reception of a family doctor or nurse, a person receives a stool sampling kit. The kit includes a test container, information material, a form, and an envelope with a paid answer, with the printed address of the laboratory. A person takes the sample at home, and sends it then by post to the laboratory. The cost of sending a sample is prepaid, with no cost for the person.
The family doctor centre has received stool sampling kits for screening according to the size of the target group as well as the medicines (laxatives) required for bowel cleansing prior to the coloscopic procedure.
If you have any questions, you should first contact your family doctor. The family doctor consults you and answers the questions related to the examination.