The risks of screening: data from the Nottingham randomised controlled trial of faecal occult blood screening for colorectal cancer

Abstract

There was investigation related morbidity but no mortality and little to support overdiagnosis bias. The group returning falsely negative tests had a better outcome compared with the whole control group. There is a negative side to any screening programme but mortality reduction in this and other trials suggests that a national programme of colorectal cancer screening should be given consideration.