Current Progress in Clinical Research in Secondary Prevention and Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. The risk of disease increases with age, as most CRC patients are over 50 years old. Due to the progressive aging of societies in high-income countries, the problem of CRC will increase. This makes the development of new early detection methods and the implementation of effective screening programs crucial. Key areas of focus include raising population awareness about the importance of screening, educating high-risk populations, and improving and developing early diagnostic methods. The primary goal of this review is to provide a concise overview of recent trends and progress in CRC secondary prevention based on available information from clinical trials.

Keywords: CRC; colorectal cancer; screening; secondary prevention.

Figure 1

Results for searching and including studies in the analysis. ^a Studies with no connection with the keywords ‘screening’ or ‘early detection’. ^b Studies with the status terminated, suspended, withdrawn, or unknown in the database on the last day of the analyzed time period. ^c Studies which did not fit in the period of time from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2023. ^d Studies which did not cover the topic of population screening (e.g., focused on patients with diagnosed CRC or methods of treatment and not methods of early detection or screening methods) and studies which, after reading the study information, did not fit into any category.