Rates of colorectal cancer after negative colonoscopies vary by provider, study finds

The rate at which people develop colorectal cancer within three years of a colonoscopy negative for cancer differs depending on which provider they use, with NHS screening providers performing better than non-NHS providers, a study has found.1

Researchers from across England looked at the rates of post colonoscopy colorectal cancer (PCCRC)—cases which follow a negative colonoscopy performed within three years—in England between 2005 and 2013, and compared how different providers performed.

They found that although the overall PCCRC three year rate decreased from 9.0% for colonoscopies performed in 2005 to 6.5% for those performed in 2013 (P<0.01), rates were lower (3.6%) for dedicated bowel cancer screening providers, and higher for non-NHS providers …