Non-invasive markers to detect colorectal cancer in asymptomatic population

摘要

Colorectal cancer (CRC) globally represents the third most common diagnosed cancer in males and the second in females. It affects 1.65 million individuals annually and causes about 830 thousand deaths worldwide. CRC is highly preventable if detected early but to date the adherence to the screening programs remains suboptimal despite the availability of multiple screening tools. Routine examination of normal adults with a colonoscopy often reveals a small benign tumor, or adenoma, of the gut epithelium in the form of a protruding mass of tissue, called polyp, that is considered the precursor of the majority of CRC. The progression of the disease is usually very slow with a period of about 10 years in which polyps do not turned malignant. For this reason, the screening program as a part of clinical practice is very important to decrease the incidence and mortality of CRC. The aim of this review was to summarize the main screening strategies as well as the main tools for CRC screening focusing on the use of noninvasive fecal immunochemical test (FIT).