Population-based study of long-term effectiveness of early-age start of fecal immunochemical testing screening

The rising incidence of young-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) has prompted health policy makers to consider lowering the recommended starting age for FIT screening. However, population-based evidence supporting the long-term effectiveness of early-age screening remains limited. In a Taiwanese cohort study including 263,125 participants, FIT screening initiated at age 40 to 49 years followed by screening after age 50 years was associated with a 39% and 21% reduction in CRC mortality and incidence, respectively, compared with starting screening at age 50 years. The authors conclude that early FIT screening may improve the effectiveness of existing screening programs starting at age 50 years.