The New England Journal of Medicine published an investigation of the Hospital Donostia on colorectal cancer carried out with funds from the marathon EITB

certifies the success of the test non-invasive

-the results of the investigation, in which eight autonomous communities have participated, they reveal that fecal occult blood tests is as effective as the colonoscopy in the diagnosis of Cancer Colorectal.

-Nearly 3,000 Basques have participated in the study, conducted in eight communities, coordinated by Dr. Luis Bujanda, head of service of digestive system of the Hospital Universitario Donostia and relevant researcher of the Biodonostia Institute of health research.

-The Basque Foundation for research and innovation health, BIOEF, collaborates annually with the marathon of EiTB, with whose fundraising of the year 2006 this project was co-financió.

Bilbao, March 2012.- The prestigious scientific journal New England Journal of Medicine, one of the most important in the world, has published in its latest issue a research carried out by the Hospital Universitario Donostia with centres of other eight autonomous communities on the diagnosis of colon cancer. In particular, this project has unveiled the test invasive as the analysis of fecal occult blood are not as effective as the colonoscopy, a very annoying invasive technique for patients.

The research was carried out in eight autonomous communities with the participation of 60,000 people, and has been promoted by the Spanish Association against cancer (AECC) and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III of Madrid, under the coordination of Dr. Antoni Castells, director of the Institute of digestive diseases of the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona and Dr. Enrique Quintero, service Chief, digestive in the University Hospital complex of the Canary Islands, Tenerife.

Basque participation in the study has been coordinated by Dr. Luis Bujanda, head of service of digestive system of the Hospital Universitario Donostia, getting the invitation of nearly 5,000 people aged between 50 and 69 years of age of Lasarte. Of them, 2,700 people accepted to participate in this clinical trial, one of the largest made in the Basque country. These patients they were randomly one of the two diagnostic tests, colonoscopy or the determination of occult blood in stool. After the study, experts emphasize that the determination of occult blood detects colon cancer similarly to colonoscopy, as well as 45% of intestinal polyps with high-risk degenerate into cancer ”, says Dr. Bujanda, with these results, defends that test to determine FOBT is currently the best for be used as evidence of early diagnosis in the general population ”. In the Basque country, the participation has been excellent ”, emphasizes Bujanda, with 64% in the Group of occult blood and 44 per cent in the branch of colonoscopy; 24 people with colon cancer, of which 60% in early stages, and 250 people with high-risk adenomas were detected ”. So far 1,300 colonoscopies have been financed by different research calls has been.

This Basque contribution to the project has been possible thanks in part to the funds raised by the EiTB Marathon of the year 2006, funds that annually manages the Basque Foundation for research and health innovation (BIOEF) and attached to the best research projects submitted to the specific annual call for each Marathon. The funds raised in the last Christmas, for example, will be destined to research projects on Alzheimer’s disease. Similarly, the Ministry of health and consumption of the Basque Government contributed significantly to the work of the team coordinated by Dr. Bujanda, to finance part of it and to provide the necessary tools for its resolution.

Second cancers in women

In Spain, the cancer of colon and rectum is the third in frequency in men, after lung and prostate, and the second in women after breast. There are approximately 28,000 new cases a year and taking into account the two sexes, it represents the most common cancer in the country type. Most cases are diagnosed between 65 and 75 years, with a maximum incidence at the age of 70, although also recorded cases among patients younger, 35-40 years.

Catalonia, Valencia, Murcia, the Canary Islands, Basque country, Cantabria, Extremadura, Castile and Leon and La Rioja are communities that have screening programmes for the population at risk for colorectal cancer screening. These programmes of early detection are essential to reduce mortality in this type of cancer, that, if detected in time there are many possibilities for healing, and because it’s a tumor that does not usually cause no discomfort until the disease is very advanced.