Cancer blood tests welcomed

Many New Zealanders would be keen to have blood tests to screen for the country's second-largest cancer killer, colorectal cancer, according to new research from the University of Otago.

The Waitemata District Health Board is due to begin a four-year pilot programme using faecal occult blood tests (FOBT) later this year.

University of Otago researchers undertook in-depth interviews with European New Zealanders aged between 50 and 71 in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch to find out what people thought about taking part in FOBT screening. The findings appear in this week's edition of the New Zealand Medical Journal.

Study author Dr Tony Reeder said the interviewees generally appreciated that early-stage colorectal cancer was potentially treatable and they strongly supported population screening.

"The positive aspects they identified included that FOBT was painless, simple, relatively low-cost, and that it could be done at home and in private. There were, however, some concerns about the awkwardness of specimen collection and the test's accuracy," Dr Reeder said.

While some study participants held concerns about FOBT's reliability, others considered that regular testing could overcome limitations, he says.

Many participants felt that men were less likely to take part than women. This was because they tended to have less preventive attitudes, less experience of health responsibilities and no prior involvement in population screening programmes.

"There was also a perception that the health system lacked the capacity and resources to promote and deliver such a programme. Given the current low profile of colorectal cancer, participants felt the Government had a responsibility to run a high-profile education campaign beforehand to encourage screening participation."

Dr Reeder said the study participants had been surprised to learn how common and deadly colorectal cancer was in New Zealand, and that this low awareness mirrored findings from previous focus groups.