Cancer screening is widely offered in many countries, often through organized programs that are provided free of charge. This is especially important for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer. In fact, studies have shown that colorectal cancer screening, which includes fecal immunochemical testing and is recommended for both women and men, can significantly reduce cancer-specific and general mortality rates. The effectiveness of such programs depends, among other factors, on a high uptake among the target population, and several studies showed that Primary Care may have a substantial influence on their assisted subjects' adherence to screening.
The uptake of screening varies greatly across countries and even smaller regions. Colorectal cancer screening is an extreme example, with participation as high as 70% in Austria, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, and as low as 35% in Belgium, France, and Italy. Counseling by Primary Care Physicians has been repeatedly associated with improved participation in screening programs. Yet, thus far, interventions targeting Primary Care have rarely been tested to improve the uptake of cancer screening.
The objective of this Research Topic is to gather and emphasize high-quality evidence on the influence of Primary Care on the effectiveness of screening programs. In particular, the focus will be on two strategies: increasing participation in screening and improving screening appropriateness through risk stratification or other organizational changes.
The article types considered for the present Research Topic will be the following: Original Research (including Clinical Trials in the case of randomized studies), Brief Research Reports, Systematic Reviews (including meta-analyses), Methods, Community Case Studies, and finally Opinions.
Cancer screening is widely offered in many countries, often through organized programs that are provided free of charge. This is especially important for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer. In fact, studies have shown that colorectal cancer screening, which includes fecal immunochemical testing and is recommended for both women and men, can significantly reduce cancer-specific and general mortality rates. The effectiveness of such programs depends, among other factors, on a high uptake among the target population, and several studies showed that Primary Care may have a substantial influence on their assisted subjects' adherence to screening.
The uptake of screening varies greatly across countries and even smaller regions. Colorectal cancer screening is an extreme example, with participation as high as 70% in Austria, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, and as low as 35% in Belgium, France, and Italy. Counseling by Primary Care Physicians has been repeatedly associated with improved participation in screening programs. Yet, thus far, interventions targeting Primary Care have rarely been tested to improve the uptake of cancer screening.
The objective of this Research Topic is to gather and emphasize high-quality evidence on the influence of Primary Care on the effectiveness of screening programs. In particular, the focus will be on two strategies: increasing participation in screening and improving screening appropriateness through risk stratification or other organizational changes.
The article types considered for the present Research Topic will be the following: Original Research (including Clinical Trials in the case of randomized studies), Brief Research Reports, Systematic Reviews (including meta-analyses), Methods, Community Case Studies, and finally Opinions.