The detection of colorectal cancer at an asymptomatic stage by screening is useful

Background/Aims: The validity of mass screening using fecal occult blood te sting remains controversial. In addition, no controlled clinical study has yet been performed to show the usefulness of sigmoidoscopy. The purpose of the present study was to compare the surgical results achieved in asymptoma tic patients with colorectal cancer detected by screening with those in sym ptomatic individuals. Methodology: A total of 285 patients underwent a surgical resection of colo rectal cancer between 1991 and 1997 at our institution. Among them, 233 pat ients had complaints related to cancer at the time of diagnosis. In contras t, 52 were asymptomatic. In those 52 patients, colorectal cancer had been s uspected based on routine screening including fecal occult blood testing, c olonoscopy and/or elevated serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen, Results: Early stage of colorectal cancer was more frequently seen in asymp tomatic patients than in symptomatic patients P<0.01. The survival rates fo r asymptomatic patients was also superior to those of symptomatic patients P<0.05. Conclusions: Screening using fecal occult blood testing, colonoscopy and tu mor markers is thus considered to be beneficial for the early detection of colorectal carcinoma, which also tends to demonstrate good surgical results .