Reacción a "Researchers analyse the impact of colorectal cancer screening campaigns on people aged 45 to 49"

The data from both studies are an example of a very rapid, almost urgent, analytical response to a change in colorectal cancer screening recommendations in the US, extending it to 45-49 years of age. The rapid availability of the data explains why their data base is very preliminary. The survey to evaluate screening in this age group shows an increase in tests performed, but the authors themselves comment that it is not possible to determine whether colonoscopies (which are the most frequently occurring) were indicated for preventive or clinical reasons. The COVID context may also have affected this, and the data on tests performed are lower than those reported in the survey, suggesting a certain bias in the survey. The data point to an increase in testing in the 45-49 age group, but it only affects people with a high level of education, which may impact the deterioration of equity, which should be assessed. Therefore, the data suggest an impact on this age group due to the increased incidence of the change in recommendations, but they are still too preliminary to provide a clear answer. It will take time to determine the real impact and on which social groups.

Regarding Spain, it is worth mentioning that in the international study published this year using data from 180 cancer registries worldwide by the International Cancer Agency (IARC), Spain is one of the countries that does not show this increase in incidence in young ages. Therefore, this study would not be applicable here. Obviously, this does not mean that it cannot happen in the future, and we will have to closely monitor the data from our country's population registries in case this phenomenon of an increase in young people is observed.