BMJ  2007;335:715-718 (6 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.39321.527384.BE

Clinical Review

Colorectal cancer

Anne B Ballinger, consultant gastroenterologist, Clive Anggiansah, senior house officer in gastroenterology

Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London E9 6SR

Correspondence to: A B Ballinger anne.ballinger@homerton.nhs.uk

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.


The lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is about 5%
Increasing age and a family history of colorectal cancer are the greatest risk factors for the disease
Patients presenting with suspicious symptoms and signs should be referred and investigated urgently in a specialised unit
Colonoscopy and computed tomographic colonography are of equal sensitivity for detection of colorectal cancer
Colonoscopy allows biopsy of suspicious lesions and removal of polyps
Population screening by testing for faecal occult blood has begun in the United Kingdom


Colorectal cancer is common, the presenting symptoms are non-specific, and the stage of disease at diagnosis is closely related to survival. In this review we discuss disease presentation, criteria for urgent referral of patients to specialist care, and recent developments in the implementation of national screening programmes, which aim to reduce mortality from this common disease. Many general practitioners will also refer patients with suspected colorectal cancer ?direct . . . [Full text of this article]


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

Missing elements of modern management
W J Fawcett, J T Lordon, N F Quiney, N D Karanjia, and T A Rockall
BMJ 2007 335: 953. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Fawcett, W J, Lordon, J T, Quiney, N F, Karanjia, N D, Rockall, T A (2007). Missing elements of modern management. BMJ 335: 953-953 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Modern Management of Colorectal Cancer
William J Fawcett, et al.
bmj.com, 26 Oct 2007 [Full text]
Should we consider also an alternate pathway beside Adenoma- carcinoma model of Vogelstins in pathogenesis of colorectal carcinoma?
Professor Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya MD(cal) Path, FIC Path(ind), et al.
bmj.com, 27 Nov 2007 [Full text]
Access jobs at BMJ Careers
Whats new online at Student BMJ