The number of bowel cancer cases prevented would increase over 17 years to more than 300 annually, by 2033. Mortality from left-sided bowel cancer, the majority of bowel cancer, would be only one-third of current mortality. Therefore, the addition of flexible sigmoidoscopy screening to the national bowel screening programme would greatly increase the effectiveness of the programme. Sigmoidoscopy screening was already provided at the Canterbury Charity Hospital, run largely by volunteer doctors, nurses and administrators and funded entirely through charitable donations. Canterbury Charity Hospital has shown that a flexible sigmoidoscopy screening programme can be provided in New Zealand to support general practitioners and their patients.

Source: Otago Daily Times November 28, 2019 15:33 UTC