Andalucia registered the highest incidence of colon cancer in Spain in 2021

In 2021, the highest incidence of colon cancer in Spain was in the autonomous community of Andalucia

According to data from the Spanish Association Against Cancer, in 2021, Andalucia was the autonomous community that registered the highest incidence of colon cancer in Spain. A total of 6,741 cases were registered, of which 2,608 were in women, and 4,133 in men.

Adults between the ages of 50 and 69 are those most at risk from this disease says the entity. In Spain, there are reportedly a total of 12,610,038 people in this age bracket.

As the association points out, “if a 65 per cent participation in screening for early detection were achieved, morbidity and mortality associated with this type of colon cancer would be reduced, in addition to improving its prognosis”.

With the World Day for the Prevention of Colon Cancer having just passed, last Thursday, March 31, the Spanish Association Against Cancer has called on the authorities to intensify their efforts to inform and raise awareness among the population about the importance of colon screening. 

“It is estimated that the cost of treating a metastatic colorectal cancer is three times higher than that of a cancer detected at the local stage, so preventing this disease, or detecting it in early stages, would save many costs, in addition to avoiding deaths and unnecessary suffering”, they highlighted.

Unlike colonoscopy, the faecal occult blood test (FOBT), is a painless, non-invasive, fast, and comfortable test that can be performed at home. It is a test that should be carried out every two years that can help to detect cancer before it occurs. That makes this test the best preventive method for colon cancer.

It is also a non-invasive test, which tries to determine the presence of non-visible blood in the stool in order to detect polyps or lesions in the colon, that in time could lead to a malignant tumour. 

The test can be carried out from a kit, and the sample is subsequently analysed in the laboratory. Current faecal occult blood tests do not require a special diet prior to sample collection, and a single collection is usually sufficient. 

Kits usually include a container (tube), a small spatula to collect the sample, and an envelope or bag to store the tube. The test is carried out yourself at home, although the reading of the test must of course be carried out by qualified health personnel.

Another of the positive aspects that FOBT contemplates as a preventive measure is that the cost of this test is €2, compared to €200 for a colonoscopy, as reported by diariodesevilla.es.

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