LONDON, February 14 /PRNewswire/ -- With CRC developing as the second most common cause of death from cancer in the UK and France, Governments, medical bodies and charities are being more proactive in addressing the detection and treatment of the disease. Raising the profile of the disease is one of the chief strategies being employed in this endeavour and screening in combination with media campaigns is helping improve awareness among sufferers and non-sufferers, across all age groups.
Having recognised CRC as the second biggest killer cancer in the UK and France, respective governments have responded by investing in the prevention of the disease rather than focusing solely on its treatment. The UK Government has allocated a budget of GBP37.5 million (approximately EUR55.0 million) to support the National Screening Programme set to be introduced in phases from April 2006. Similarly, the French Government, through the Caisse National d'Assurance Maladie, has pledged approximately EUR20.0 million in support of 22 CRC screening pilot studies across the country.
While these funds are helping in upgrading infrastructure, training personnel and implementing awareness programmes, CRC screening is considered vital in reducing both mortality and morbidity rates, as it facilitates early identification and more optimised treatment.
"Screening could result in the incidence of CRC being reduced by 15 -to 20 per cent, thereby saving close to 1,200 lives each year in the United Kingdom alone," notes Frost & Sullivan (http://healthcare.frost.com) Research Manager Mr. Alex Wong. " Hence, accepted by experts as an effective primary screen, faecal occult blood tests (FOBTs) are playing a significant role in French pilot studies and are likely to be the principal screening tool in the National Screening Programme to be launched in the United Kingdom in 2006."
Nevertheless, a key challenge that must be overcome, particularly in the United Kingdom, is to make screening less intimidating to certain groups in the population. At present, FOB testing appears to be less acceptable to particular sections of the society including those from materially deprived areas and certain ethnic sub-groups, such as from the Indian sub-continent. Feedback, however, suggests that by raising awareness and educating people about the disease, such sub-populations may be more receptive to participating in future screening programmes.
In France, the two main impediments to the success of the mass screening programmes centre around the weak sensitivity of the only gFOBT being used at present (Hemoccult II) and the difficulty in achieving a satisfactory level of participation from the target population. Also, an added challenge lies in that the patient databases held by many departmental screening bodies are not segmented into risk categories since most regions have never conducted such screening programmes prior to these trials.
In addressing this, organisations conducting the 22 pilot studies are now assuming the responsibility for educating local communities in conjunction with organisations such as l'Association Nationale pour le Dépistage du Cancer Colorectal (ANDECACO). By distributing free literature and advice at GPs and pharmacies, the French public will be better informed about the benefits of participating in CRC screening over the next 12 to 24 months. Also, on completion of these pilot studies, 22 departments in France will have a more detailed patient databases stratified by age and risk category.
Given the large reservoirs of undiagnosed patients in the United Kingdom and the National Screening Programme to be launched in April 2006, the total FOBT test throughput is expected to rise. At present, given the low volumes of testing carried out, laboratories routinely use manual FOBTs across the United Kingdom. However, over the next 2 to 3 years, following the implementation of nationwide screening and the associated rise in testing, automated solutions will be sought after. Placed in the hospital setting, high-volume analytical systems may initially be required if testing for a particular region is centralised to that hospital.
"In France, testing/screening for CRC is less developed in comparison to the United Kingdom and in the short term (next 1to 2 years) screening bodies and GPs will continue to remain the main drivers of CRC screening in France," says Mr. Wong. "However in the medium term (next 3 to 4 years), the best practices from the likes of the national breast screening programme and CRC initiatives across Europe are likely to be integrated into developing a tailor-made programme for France."
If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end-users, and other industry participants an overview of the latest analysis of the Strategic Analysis of Faecal Occult Blood Testing - UK and French Markets (B758-55), then send an e-mail to Radhika Menon Theodore, Corporate Communications, at rmtheodore@frost.com with the following information: your full name, company name, title, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address. Upon receipt of the above information, an overview will be sent to you via e-mail.
Background
Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community, by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics.
Media Contacts: Europe: Radhika Menon Theodore Corporate Communications P: +91-(044)-42044541 E: rmtheodore@frost.com Americas: Melina Trevino Corporate Communications P: +1-210-247-2440 F: +1-210-348-1003 E: melina.trevino@frost.com India: Surbhi Dedhia Corporate Communications P: +91-22-2832-4705 Ext: 131 E: sdedhia@frost.com Asia Pacific: Jasminder Kaur Corporate Communications P: +65-68900937 E: jkaur@frost.com Australia: Sharmin Jassal Corporate Communications P: +61-2-8247-8900 F: +61-2-9252-8066 E: sjassal@frost.com
Keywords: colorectal cancer, CRC, faecal occult blood tests, FOBTs, Guaiac FOBT, gFOBT, CRC screening, hemoccult II, National Screening Programme, Caisse National d'Assurance Maladie, l'Association Nationale pour le Dépistage du Cancer Colorectal, ANDECACO, research, information, market, trends, technology, service, forecast, market share
Database of Key Industry Participants: ADCN (Association pour le Dépistage des Cancers dans le Nord), Alexandra Hospital (Redditch), Beating Bowel Cancer, bioGnosis, Castle Hill Hospital (Cottingham), CH du Mans, CH Mulhouse, CH Possy-St. Germain, Ch St. Dizier, CH St. Dizier, CHI. Eure-Seine, CHRU Reims Maison Blanche, CHU Dijon, CHU Grenoble, Colon Cancer Concern, DoH, Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary (Dumfries), Fumouze Diagnostics (Orion Diagnostica), Furness Genral Hospital (Barrow in Furness), Hopital Caremeau (Nimes), Hopital Laennec de Cornouaille, Leeds General Infirmary (Leeds), Orion Diagnostica, Raigmore Hospital (Inverness), Royal Glasgow Infirmary (Glasgow), Sandwell District General Hospital (West Bromwich), SFRL, SKD (Beckman Coulter), Tameside General Hospital (Ashton under Lyne)
Frost & SullivanCONTACT: Media Contacts: Europe: Radhika Menon Theodore, CorporateCommunications, P: +91-(044)-42044541, E: rmtheodore@frost.com. Americas:Melina Trevino, Corporate Communications, P: +1-210-247-2440, F:+1-210-348-1003, E: melina.trevino@frost.com. India: Surbhi Dedhia,Corporate Communications, P: +91-22-2832-4705 Ext: 131, E:sdedhia@frost.com. Asia Pacific: Jasminder Kaur, Corporate Communications,P: +65-68900937, E: jkaur@frost.com. Australia: Sharmin Jassal, CorporateCommunications, P: +61-2-8247-8900, F: +61-2-9252-8066, E:sjassal@frost.com
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