Reacción a "Researchers analyse the impact of colorectal cancer screening campaigns on people aged 45 to 49"

These studies, published in JAMA, analyse the impact of advancing the recommended age to start colorectal cancer screening in the US from 50 to 45 years. Among their main contributions, the authors highlight that using already validated strategies, such as mailing fecal immunological tests (FIT), managed to increase participation in screening among adults aged 45 to 49, without reducing coverage among those over 50 years of age. These results are situated in the context of an increase in the incidence of colorectal cancer in young people, observed since the 1990s in many high-income countries. In the case of Spain, an international study published in The Lancet Oncology did not show an increase in the incidence of this tumor in people under 50 years of age. However, this study used relatively old data that may not reflect the current reality. Recently, preliminary results from a study led by the Granada and Tarragona cancer registries point to an increase in incidence among adults between 20 and 35 years of age.

It is important to note that the studies published in JAMA observe that increases in participation in early detection programs occur primarily among people with private insurance and university degrees, which, if confirmed, could widen social inequalities if specific strategies are not designed to reach the most vulnerable groups. Data from the US offer clues for reflecting on possible adjustments to European and Spanish colorectal cancer screening programs, especially for those over 45 years of age. In practice, these results support measures that make screening available to the entire population, such as mailing FITs, while keeping an eye on equity.