One in two Belgians is diagnosed with colon cancer at an advanced stage, according to figures published on Tuesday by the Cancer Registry. The survival rate drops to 15% for these late diagnoses, while at an early stage the chances of recovery are over 90%. Therefore, on the occasion of the international month of colon cancer, in March, the NGO “Stop Colon Cancer” encourages the population to take a free screening test offered by the government.
One out of 20 Belgians (5%) will face colon cancer in their lifetime. In order to detect it as early as possible and thus avoid all the suffering associated with this disease, the government has set up, for ten years now, free screening for anyone aged 50 to 74 years. However, there is currently a lack of information on colorectal cancer and its screening.
According to the latest figures from the NGO, only one in five French speakers and one in two Flemish took part in the screening test, while “colon cancer causes no less than 3,000 deaths per year in Belgium, i.e. nine per day“, underlines the association.
