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Colorectal cancer screening reduces incidence, mortality and morbidity

Bilel Jideh and Michael J Bourke
Med J Aust 2018; 208 (11): . || doi: 10.5694/mja18.00279
Published online: 18 June 2018

Adhering to evidence-based surveillance guidelines will optimise the use of health care resources

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia in both men and women; there were about 17 000 new cases and more than 4000 deaths during 2017.1 It imposes a tremendous burden of disease, dominated by mortality rather than disability; in the 2011 Australian Burden of Disease Study, almost 86 000 years of life were lost because of CRC.2 The disorder is also a substantial economic burden; it costs more than $100 000 to treat one case of advanced CRC.3


  • 1 Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW
  • 2 City West Specialist Day Hospital, Sydney, NSW


Correspondence: bjid7747@uni.sydney.edu.au

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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