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Letters Colorectal cancer screening

Randomised trials of flexible sigmoidoscopy

BMJ 2010; 341 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.c4618 (Published 24 August 2010) Cite this as: BMJ 2010;341:c4618
  1. Wendy Atkin, professor of gastrointestinal epidemiology1,
  2. Ines Kralj-Hans1,
  3. Jane Wardle2,
  4. Stephen Duffy3
  1. 1Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Wright-Fleming Building (Level 5), St Mary’s Campus, London W2 1PG
  2. 2Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London
  3. 3Cancer Research UK Centre for EMS, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London
  1. w.atkin{at}imperial.ac.uk

    Bretthauer’s editorial contains two incorrect statements about the outcomes of the UK flexible sigmoidoscopy trial (UKFSST).1 2

    Firstly, the subtitle, “Flexible sigmoidoscopy shows promise, but randomised trial data are needed,” is misleading because UKFSST is a randomised controlled trial. It involved 170 000 people and reduced the mortality of colorectal cancer by 43% and incidence by 33% in screening attenders.

    Secondly, the absolute …

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