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Table 4 International colorectal cancer screening recommendations for the general population (persons not at “high-risk”), in order of decreasing total healthcare expenditure per capita

From: Cancer screening recommendations: an international comparison of high income countries

  1. Type of organization: A national guideline committee, B cancer society, C specialty society or societies
  2. 1USPSTF and ACS: no preference regarding choice of tests; high sensitivity gFOBT preferred, with recommendation against in-office FIT or gFOBT; FIT-DNA is every 1 or 3 years; FS + FIT is FS every 10 years and FIT annually
  3. 2US Multi-Society Guidelines: consider screening between 75 and 85 if no previous screening
  4. 3Switzerland: or colonoscopy every 10 years
  5. 4Norway: currently being compared to flexible sigmoidoscopy (with screening once every 10 years from age 50 to 74) in a pilot study
  6. 5Germany: beginning at age 55, also obtain colonoscopy every 10 years (at a minimum), stopping after 2 colonoscopies
  7. 6Austria: beginning at age 50, also obtain colonoscopy every 7–10 years
  8. 7Canada: or flexible sigmoidoscopy every 10 years; colonoscopy is not recommended
  9. 8Italy: FIT or flexible sigmoidoscopy once at age 58 or 60, and then FIT every 2 years from age 59 to 69
  10. Abbreviations: USA United States of America, Colo colonoscopy, CT colo CT colonography, FIT fecal immunochemical test, gFOBT guaiac fecal occult blood test, NIPHE National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, CTFPHC Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care, CSNHS Cancer Strategy of the National Health System, AGDH Australian Government Dept of Health