Population-based colorectal cancer screening programmes using a faecal immunochemical test: should faecal haemoglobin cut-offs differ by age and sex?

Table 3 Characteristics of interval cancers and screen-detected colorectal cancer

Total	Interval cancers^a	Screen-detected		p-value
	Interval cancers^a	First round	Second round	p-value
	136 (83.3%; 1st round/16.2%; 2nd round)	889	143	-
Sex
Men; n (%)	89 (65.4)	594 (66.8)	99 (69.2)	0.79
Women; n (%)	47 (34.6)	295 (33.2)	44 (30.8)	0.79
Age (years)
50–54; n (%)	26 (19.1)	137 (15.4)	19 (13.3)	0.06
55–59; n (%)	32 (23.5)	195 (21.9)	42 (29.4)
60–64; n (%)	45 (33.1)	260 (29.2)	43 (30.1)
65–69; n (%)	33 (24.3)	297 (33.4)	39 (27.3)
μg Hb/g faeces; median (IQR)	2.9 (0.4–11.6)^b	201.8 (74.4–589.8)^c	638.3 (56.8–617.2)^c	-
Location (proximal side/distal side/rectum)^c; %	34.3 / 33.6 / 32.1	18.1 / 67.0 / 14.9	21.6 / 66.3 / 12.1	<0.001
Stage (I-II/III-IV); %	44.8 / 55.2	66.7 / 28.4	65.7 / 24.6	<0.001
Size (cm); median (IQR)	8 (6.0–12.0)	2.5 (1.5–4.0)	2.5 (1.5–3.5)	<0.001
Time to diagnosis
Within 1 year; n (%)	64 (47.1)			-
1–2 years; n (%)	72 (52.9)			-

^aInterval cancers after a negative test result in the previous round
^bMedian μg Hb/g faeces at time of negative screening test result. **Median μ Hb/g faeces at time of positive screening test result
^cProximal side includes regions from cecum up to and including the transverse colon; distal side includes splenic flexure, descending colon and sigmoid colon

ISSN: 1471-2407