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3rd cancer screening phase to begin

(November 20, 2017)

The Department of Health will launch the third phase of the Colorectal Cancer Screening Pilot Programme on November 27, inviting 380,000 Hong Kong residents born between 1952 and 1955 to join.
 
Launched in September last year, the three-year screening programme subsidises asymptomatic residents born between 1946 to 1955 to undergo screening tests in phases.
 
Centre for Health Protection Surveillance & Epidemiology Branch Head Dr Regina Ching called on those eligible to join the programme.
 
Colorectal cancer has topped the list of cancer incidences in Hong Kong for three consecutive years, Dr Ching said, noting there were 5,036 newly-diagnosed cases in 2015, which accounted for 16.6 % of all new cancer cases.
 
In 2016, colorectal cancer resulted in 2,089 deaths, accounting for 14.7% of all cancer deaths.
 
“It is the second most common cause of cancer death in Hong Kong, coming only after lung cancer," she said.
 
As of November 17, 644 primary care doctors and 154 colonoscopy specialists had enrolled in the scheme, with 42,000 eligible people joining it.
 
Noting close to 70% of participants who had completed a colonoscopy examination were diagnosed with colorectal adenomas, Dr Ching said by removing the colorectal adenomas in the course of examination, such lesions are prevented from turning into cancer.
 
The Government will provide a $280 subsidy for each consultation in relation to the Faecal Immunochemical Test.
 
The subsidy for the colonoscopy examination is $7,800 if no polyp is detected. The amount will be $8,500 if polyps are found and removed.
 
Click here for details of the programme.
 
Eligible people are reminded to first enrol in the electronic Health Record Sharing System .


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