The Test That Could Save Your Life
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer death. In Switzerland, approximately 4,300 new cases are diagnosed each year. Yet here is the crucial fact: colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable cancers – if you screen for it. At our practice in Zürich Seefeld, I strongly advocate for colorectal cancer screening because it genuinely saves lives.
Why Screening Works
Colorectal cancer develops slowly, typically over 10-15 years, from precancerous polyps (adenomas) through a predictable progression to cancer. Screening allows us to find and remove polyps before they become cancerous, and to detect cancers at an early, curable stage. When colorectal cancer is found at Stage I, the five-year survival rate exceeds 90%. When found at Stage IV, it drops below 15%. Screening is the difference.
Who Should Be Screened?
In Switzerland, screening is recommended for all adults from age 50 (some guidelines now suggest starting at 45). Earlier screening is recommended if you have a first-degree relative diagnosed with colorectal cancer (especially before age 60), a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, a known genetic predisposition (Lynch syndrome, FAP), or a personal history of polyps. I assess your individual risk factors and recommend appropriate timing.
Screening Options
Colonoscopy: The gold standard. Allows direct visualisation of the entire colon and rectum, with the ability to remove polyps during the same procedure. If normal, repeat every 10 years. Requires bowel preparation (the most unpleasant part for most patients) and sedation.
FIT (Faecal Immunochemical Test): A simple stool test that detects hidden blood from advanced polyps or cancers. Non-invasive, done at home, repeated annually or every two years. If positive, colonoscopy is required for follow-up. In Switzerland, basic health insurance covers this from age 50.
Stool DNA tests: Combine FIT with detection of DNA markers shed by polyps or cancers. More sensitive than FIT alone but less available in Switzerland.
Why People Avoid Screening – And Why They Should Not
Common reasons people avoid screening include embarrassment, fear of the procedure, fear of the results, and the bowel preparation. Modern colonoscopy with sedation is comfortable – most patients do not remember the procedure. The bowel preparation, while unpleasant, takes only one day. And the alternative – undetected cancer – is incomparably worse.
What We Do: Making Screening Simple
Risk assessment: Evaluating your personal and family history to determine when screening should start and which method is most appropriate.
FIT testing: Available at our practice with clear instructions and prompt follow-up of results.
Colonoscopy referral: Coordination with experienced gastroenterologists, including preparation guidance and sedation options.
Results communication: Clear explanation of findings and recommended follow-up intervals.
Prevention counselling: Lifestyle factors that reduce colorectal cancer risk – regular exercise, healthy weight, fibre-rich diet, limited processed meat, and adequate vitamin D and calcium.
Conclusion
Colorectal cancer screening is one of the most effective preventive measures in medicine. If you are over 50 (or younger with risk factors) and have not been screened, please do not delay. Book a consultation at our practice in Zürich Seefeld to discuss which screening option is right for you. This is one appointment that could genuinely save your life.
