Colorectal Cancer Screening Pilot Programme to be launched on September 28 (with photo)
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Participants will first undergo the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT), which is an advanced, safe, effective and simple-to-use screening test. Those participants with a positive FIT result will then receive a colonoscopy examination to identify the cause of occult blood in their stool. There is no quota for participants under the Programme. People born in the years 1946 to 1948 will be the first batch to join the Programme, while arrangements for those born between 1949 and 1955 will be announced in due course.
Hosting a press conference today (September 12) to announce details of the Programme, the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the DH, Dr Leung Ting-hung, pointed out that colorectal cancer is preventable through a healthy lifestyle and well-organised screening. He said that recovery rates of colorectal cancer can be significantly improved by early detection and prompt treatment. Dr Leung encouraged eligible persons to join the Programme to prevent colorectal cancer.
He said that most colorectal cancers developed from benign polyps over a period of 10 years or more. These polyps often shed tiny amounts of blood invisible to the naked eye, but can be picked up by screening tests for further assessment. They cannot become cancerous if they are found and removed.
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in Hong Kong. In 2013, there were 4,769 newly diagnosed colorectal cancer cases, accounting for 16.5 per cent of all new cancer cases, or about one in six new cancer cases. In 2014, colorectal cancer resulted in 2,304 deaths, accounting for 14.7 per cent of all cancer deaths, or about one in seven cancer deaths. After lung cancer, it is the second most common cause of cancer death in Hong Kong.
Dr Leung said the risk of colorectal cancer increases with age. The median age at diagnosis of colorectal cancer is 68 for males and 71 for females, and occurrence of colorectal cancer among individuals aged 50 or above is also more common.
Also present at the press conference, the Head of the Surveillance and Epidemiology Branch of the CHP, Dr Regina Ching, said the Colorectal Cancer Information Technology System has been set up for the Programme, which rides on the electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHRSS). Eligible persons who intend to join the Programme have to enrol in the eHRSS beforehand.
The screening pathway comprises two stages:
(1) Eligible persons first make an appointment with a primary care doctor (PCD) participating in the Programme. After enrolment into the Programme, the participant will receive a government subsidy to undergo FIT;
(2) If the FIT result is positive, the participant will be referred to see a colonoscopy specialist (CS) who has enrolled in the Programme to receive a standard package of colonoscopy service subsidised by the Government in order to find out the cause of bleeding.
Dr Ching added that once the Programme is launched, participants can browse the thematic website of Prevent Colorectal Cancer at www.colonscreen.gov.hk for the list of enrolled PCDs, co-payments required and contact details, and then make bookings for consultations at the enrolled PCD clinic. They are reminded to bring along their Hong Kong smart identity cards on the day of consultation for enrolment in the Programme. Participants need to collect stool specimens according to the instruction given and take the specimen to one of the collection boxes at 30 specimen collection points set up by the DH in 18 districts throughout Hong Kong. In general, the enrolled PCD will be notified of the participant’s test result via the electronic platform about two to three working days after the specimens have been received by the laboratory. Unless the test result is positive and shows occult blood in stool samples, a second consultation for the participant at the PCD’s clinic is not needed.
Under the Programme, the Government will heavily subsidise the cost of cancer screening for participants. For the FIT screening arranged by the enrolled PCDs and second consultation to follow up on positive test results, the Government will provide a subsidy amount of $280 for each consultation at the enrolled PCD’s clinic. Under the standard colonoscopy service package, the subsidy amount is $8,500 if a polyp(s) is removed, while the amount is $7,800 if no polyp(s) is removed.
As of August 31, more than 210 PCDs had successfully enrolled into the Programme, covering nearly 300 clinics, over 95 per cent of which will not charge any co-payment. In addition, over 80 CSs have joined the Programme to provide colonoscopy examination services at more than 100 service locations. If no polyps are removed, about 70 per cent will not require additional charges. If removal of polyps is needed, about 60 per cent will not require additional charges.
Information on the list of enrolled PCDs and CSs, their clinic names, telephone numbers, addresses and any co-payments charged will be uploaded onto the thematic website on September 26 morning. Starting from September 26, the first batch of participants (eligible Hong Kong residents who were born in the years 1946 to 1948 and have enrolled in the eHRSS) can make enquiries with the enrolled PCDs and make a booking of consultation for FIT screening. Upon the launch of the Programme on September 28, enrolled doctors and specialists are required to display the programme logo at the entrance of their clinics and, by means of a special poster displayed in the clinics, show clearly the co-payments charged, if any.
To assist enrolled doctors and their clinic staff in familiarising themselves with the full screening procedure and the operation of the electronic platform, the DH has arranged 17 briefing sessions and produced a series of resource materials and tools, including handbooks, guidelines and demonstration videos for self-learning by the doctors and use in the clinics. Considering the needs of the PCDs and their situation, staff of the DH will also provide timely and appropriate assistance on-site so that the doctors and clinic staff can quickly master the screening workflow and IT operation.
The Government announced in the 2014 Policy Address that it would subsidise colorectal cancer screening for specific age groups. The territory-wide Colorectal Cancer Screening Pilot Programme is the first cancer screening programme subsidised by the Government and implemented under public-private partnership. The DH will closely monitor its implementation and progress and review the services regularly with a view to fine-tuning the programme and its procedures.
Ends/Monday, September 12, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:25
Issued at HKT 15:25
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