The arrival of the Omicron variant in November 2021 once more put colorectal cancer screening efforts on hold. The numbers speak for themselves. More than 110,000 patients are waiting for a colonoscopy in Quebec, 63% of whom are in excess of the MSSS waiting standards.
There is also a 238% increase in the number of primary requests for late colonoscopies between August 2021 and 2020. The imperative to act is there!
While our collective attention is still focused on the pandemic and COVID-19 remains a priority, we face an even more deadly public health emergency.
Cancer has been the cause of death for nearly twice as many Quebecers as COVID-19.
In addition, there are the interruptions in screening and surgeries caused by the load shedding which will have consequences for the lives of thousands of people in the coming years.
Early detection of colorectal cancer increases the chances of survival following 5 years to more than 90%. Prevention efforts since the 2000s have made it possible to decrease the number of cancer cases in the country. Unfortunately, this year, 25,000 Canadians will still be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, including 6,400 in Quebec. Of the 9,600 expected deaths from this disease in the country, 2,600 of them will be Quebecers.
Colon cancer screening remains the best way to prevent the disease. It can detect cancer at an early stage, before until the signs and symptoms of the disease appear. It’s simple to do, with a non-invasive test called i-FOBTN performed at home. For individuals who test positive, a follow-up colonoscopy can identify and remove precancerous polyps, thereby preventing cancer. Unfortunately due to the pandemic, there was a drop of 160,000 iFOBT screen tests between 2019-2020 and 2020-2021.
The consequences are immense: fewer screening tests performed, fewer colonoscopies performed, more advanced cancer cases to be expected, more deaths to be anticipated and more pressure, for years to come, on the resources of the healthcare system. health, including expensive drugs to be anticipated.
However, there are proven solutions to protect the health of Quebecers from colorectal cancer.
In fact, Quebec remains the only province in Canada not to have a structured colorectal cancer screening program for people aged 50 to 74.
- Listen to the interview with Yves Dubé, colorectal cancer survivor, on QUB radio:
This program might, like the one for breast cancer, promote the detection of colorectal cancer by sending a letter inviting them to obtain the screening test and thus increase the chances of success of the treatment.
There is no excuse to delay any longer the deployment of the Quebec Colorectal Cancer Screening Program (PQDCCR).
However, since 2007, the Quebec government has promised to launch this colorectal cancer program. The ministers of health follow one another, but still no program is deployed.
The pandemic has shown that Quebec can quickly set up a screening program for COVID-19 for all, as well as an effective vaccination program. Let us take advantage of the lessons learned during the pandemic. Let us act as quickly as possible to prevent the second leading cause of cancer death in Quebec.
Although the government recently allocated additional funds for colonoscopies, PQDCCR remains the central element in the prevention of colorectal cancer. It must therefore be supported by investments in research and primary prevention programs including healthy lifestyles, increased endoscopy capacity, as well as other cancer care services to alleviate the human and financial burden of this disease. .
Therefore, we ask the Minister of Health and Social Services of Quebec, Christian Dubé, to deploy, without further delay, the PQDCCR while increasing resources, including those for research, in order to enable the health network to increase their capacities in relation to colorectal cancer.
Barry D. Stein, President and CEO, Colorectal Cancer Canada
Dr Martin Champagne, president, Association of hematologists and oncologists of Quebec
Marco Décelles, Executive Director, Quebec Cancer Foundation
Diego Mena, Vice-President Strategic Initiatives, Mission and Engagement, Canadian Cancer Society
Manon Pepin, President and CEO, Cancer Research Society
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