Suomeksi

Screening programme overview

– In 2023, individuals aged 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70 were invited to screening. Each of the invitees received a self-sampling kit to their homes. The screening test is free for the eligible population, but the wellbeing services counties may charge a fee for follow-up investigations.

– The target population for the screening programme was 422 650, and addresses for 421 210 individuals (99.7%) were obtained from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency for invitations.

– 74.4% returned the sampling kit. 5.3% of the test-attenders has a positive test (over 25 micrograms of haemoglobin in a gram of stool).

– Those with positive test results were referred to a screening nurse for further evaluation. The primary follow-up examination colonoscopy was performed on 12,963 screening participants. Alternative CT colonographies were reported for 150 persons.

– In the 2023 screening programme 770 cancers ja 5,254 advanced adenomas were detected.

– In 2023, the target population extended to cover 70 year olds. This explains the rise in both absolute numbers and proportions of cancers and advanced adenomas found.

– The national colorectal cancer screening began in Finland in 2022. This was preceded by a pilot in 12 municipalities from 2019 to 2021. Additionally, from 2004 to 2016, screening was studied in a randomised trial using an older faecal occult blood test test.

Whole country

Screening process

2023

Invited
Participated
Tested positive (of those who participated)
Had a colonoscopy (of test positives)
Received surgical/neoadjuvant treatment (of those who had colonoscopy)
Sex N N % N % N % N %
Men 206045 143621 69.7 9587 6.7 7596 79.2 581 7.6
Women 216605 170678 78.8 6914 4.1 5367 77.6 387 7.2
Total 422650 314299 74.4 16501 5.3 12963 78.6 968 7.5
Invited
Participated
Tested positive (of those who participated)
Had a colonoscopy (of those who participated)
Received surgical/neoadjuvant treatment (of those who participated)
Sex N N % N % N % N %
Men 206045 143621 69.7 9587 6.7 7596 5.3 581 0.4
Women 216605 170678 78.8 6914 4.1 5367 3.1 387 0.2
Total 422650 314299 74.4 16501 5.3 12963 4.1 968 0.3

2022

Invited
Participated
Tested positive (of those who participated)
Had a colonoscopy (of test positives)
Received surgical/neoadjuvant treatment (of those who had colonoscopy)
Sex N N % N % N % N %
Men 172688 126333 73.2 8307 6.6 6578 79.2 532 8.1
Women 181487 147375 81.2 5713 3.9 4461 78.1 342 7.7
Total 354175 273708 77.3 14020 5.1 11039 78.7 874 7.9
Invited
Participated
Tested positive (of those who participated)
Had a colonoscopy (of those who participated)
Received surgical/neoadjuvant treatment (of those who participated)
Sex N N % N % N % N %
Men 172688 126333 73.2 8307 6.6 6578 5.2 532 0.4
Women 181487 147375 81.2 5713 3.9 4461 3.0 342 0.2
Total 354175 273708 77.3 14020 5.1 11039 4.0 874 0.3

Age groups

2023

Invited
Participated
Tested positive (of those who participated)
Had a colonoscopy (of test positives)
Received surgical/neoadjuvant treatment (of those who had colonoscopy)
Age group Sex N N % N % N % N %
60 Men 36577 23063 63.1 1299 5.6 1040 80.1 60 5.8
60 Women 36940 27701 75.0 938 3.4 727 77.5 42 5.8
60 Total 73517 50764 69.1 2237 4.4 1767 79.0 102 5.8
62 Men 35391 23591 66.7 1411 6.0 1115 79.0 63 5.7
62 Women 36317 27813 76.6 1044 3.8 803 76.9 43 5.4
62 Total 71708 51404 71.7 2455 4.8 1918 78.1 106 5.5
64 Men 34320 23640 68.9 1554 6.6 1227 79.0 79 6.4
64 Women 35750 28200 78.9 1106 3.9 858 77.6 56 6.5
64 Total 70070 51840 74.0 2660 5.1 2085 78.4 135 6.5
66 Men 33977 24445 71.9 1660 6.8 1317 79.3 121 9.2
66 Women 35875 28851 80.4 1185 4.1 947 79.9 73 7.7
66 Total 69852 53296 76.3 2845 5.3 2264 79.6 194 8.6
68 Men 33661 24989 74.2 1812 7.3 1450 80.0 127 8.8
68 Women 36234 29447 81.3 1325 4.5 1034 78.0 82 7.9
68 Total 69895 54436 77.9 3137 5.8 2484 79.2 209 8.4
70 Men 32119 23893 74.4 1851 7.7 1447 78.2 131 9.1
70 Women 35489 28666 80.8 1316 4.6 998 75.8 91 9.1
70 Total 67608 52559 77.7 3167 6.0 2445 77.2 222 9.1
Total Total 422650 314299 74.4 16501 5.3 12963 78.6 968 7.5

2022

Invited
Participated
Tested positive (of those who participated)
Had a colonoscopy (of test positives)
Received surgical/neoadjuvant treatment (of those who had colonoscopy)
Age group Sex N N % N % N % N %
60 Men 36233 24773 68.4 1422 5.7 1127 79.3 80 7.1
60 Women 36542 28572 78.2 968 3.4 758 78.3 46 6.1
60 Total 72775 53345 73.3 2390 4.5 1885 78.9 126 6.7
62 Men 35030 25039 71.5 1529 6.1 1217 79.6 83 6.8
62 Women 36331 29123 80.2 1057 3.6 833 78.8 59 7.1
62 Total 71361 54162 75.9 2586 4.8 2050 79.3 142 6.9
64 Men 33279 24592 73.9 1593 6.5 1241 77.9 104 8.4
64 Women 34782 28444 81.8 1106 3.9 868 78.5 67 7.7
64 Total 68061 53036 77.9 2699 5.1 2109 78.1 171 8.1
66 Men 34847 26447 75.9 1797 6.8 1436 79.9 125 8.7
66 Women 36920 30580 82.8 1261 4.1 995 78.9 76 7.6
66 Total 71767 57027 79.5 3058 5.4 2431 79.5 201 8.3
68 Men 33299 25482 76.5 1966 7.7 1557 79.2 140 9.0
68 Women 36912 30656 83.1 1321 4.3 1007 76.2 94 9.3
68 Total 70211 56138 80.0 3287 5.9 2564 78.0 234 9.1
Total Total 354175 273708 77.3 14020 5.1 11039 78.7 874 7.9

Positivity rate

2023

2022

Diagnoses

2023

Sex
Test positives
Did not participate in colonoscopy
No CRC, adenomas nor polyps
Adenoma/polyp, non-advanced
Adenoma/polyp, advanced
Cancer
Others
N N % N % N % N % N % N %
Men 9587 1997 20.8 1521 15.9 2026 21.1 3389 35.3 443 4.6 230 2.4
Women 6914 1547 22.4 1530 22.1 1454 21.0 1865 27.0 327 4.7 210 3.0

2022

Sex
Test positives
Did not participate in colonoscopy
No CRC, adenomas nor polyps
Adenoma/polyp, non-advanced
Adenoma/polyp, advanced
Cancer
Others
N N % N % N % N % N % N %
Men 8307 1730 20.8 1430 17.2 1843 22.2 2699 32.5 387 4.7 226 2.7
Women 5713 1254 21.9 1397 24.5 1196 20.9 1471 25.7 244 4.3 168 2.9

Population groups

Mother language

2023

Invited
Participated
Tested positive (of those who participated)
Had a colonoscopy (of test positives)
Received surgical/neoadjuvant treatment (of those who had colonoscopy)
Mother language Sex N N % N % N % N %
Domestic Men 197669 139572 70.6 9340 6.7 7418 79.4 564 7.6
Domestic Women 207215 165152 79.7 6663 4.0 5209 78.2 378 7.3
Domestic Total 404884 304724 75.3 16003 5.3 12627 78.9 942 7.5
Other/missing Men 8376 4049 48.3 247 6.1 178 72.1 17 9.6
Other/missing Women 9390 5526 58.8 251 4.5 158 62.9 9 5.7
Other/missing Total 17766 9575 53.9 498 5.2 336 67.5 26 7.7
Total Total 422650 314299 74.4 16501 5.3 12963 78.6 968 7.5

2022

Invited
Participated
Tested positive (of those who participated)
Had a colonoscopy (of test positives)
Received surgical/neoadjuvant treatment (of those who had colonoscopy)
Mother language Sex N N % N % N % N %
Domestic Men 165832 122834 74.1 8095 6.6 6438 79.5 523 8.1
Domestic Women 173299 142397 82.2 5552 3.9 4344 78.2 329 7.6
Domestic Total 339131 265231 78.2 13647 5.1 10782 79.0 852 7.9
Other/missing Men 6856 3499 51.0 212 6.1 140 66.0 9 6.4
Other/missing Women 8188 4978 60.8 161 3.2 117 72.7 13 11.1
Other/missing Total 15044 8477 56.3 373 4.4 257 68.9 22 8.6
Total Total 354175 273708 77.3 14020 5.1 11039 78.7 874 7.9

Level of education

2023

Invited
Participated
Tested positive (of those who participated)
Had a colonoscopy (of test positives)
Received surgical/neoadjuvant treatment (of those who had colonoscopy)
Level of education Sex N N % N % N % N %
Primary education/unknown Men 41478 24658 59.4 2070 8.4 1589 76.8 130 8.2
Primary education/unknown Women 31366 21318 68.0 1157 5.4 867 74.9 66 7.6
Primary education/unknown Total 72844 45976 63.1 3227 7.0 2456 76.1 196 8.0
Intermediate/secondary Men 97575 67571 69.3 4734 7.0 3779 79.8 269 7.1
Intermediate/secondary Women 93884 73862 78.7 3147 4.3 2450 77.9 176 7.2
Intermediate/secondary Total 191459 141433 73.9 7881 5.6 6229 79.0 445 7.1
Tertiary/higher education Men 66992 51392 76.7 2783 5.4 2228 80.1 182 8.2
Tertiary/higher education Women 91355 75498 82.6 2610 3.5 2050 78.5 145 7.1
Tertiary/higher education Total 158347 126890 80.1 5393 4.3 4278 79.3 327 7.6
Total Total 422650 314299 74.4 16501 5.3 12963 78.6 968 7.5

2022

Invited
Participated
Tested positive (of those who participated)
Had a colonoscopy (of test positives)
Received surgical/neoadjuvant treatment (of those who had colonoscopy)
Level of education Sex N N % N % N % N %
Primary education/unknown Men 34486 21656 62.8 1709 7.9 1293 75.7 114 8.8
Primary education/unknown Women 26056 18262 70.1 917 5.0 692 75.5 58 8.4
Primary education/unknown Total 60542 39918 65.9 2626 6.6 1985 75.6 172 8.7
Intermediate/secondary Men 82368 59988 72.8 4185 7.0 3310 79.1 270 8.2
Intermediate/secondary Women 79127 64344 81.3 2649 4.1 2064 77.9 167 8.1
Intermediate/secondary Total 161495 124332 77.0 6834 5.5 5374 78.6 437 8.1
Tertiary/higher education Men 55834 44689 80.0 2413 5.4 1975 81.8 148 7.5
Tertiary/higher education Women 76304 64769 84.9 2147 3.3 1705 79.4 117 6.9
Tertiary/higher education Total 132138 109458 82.8 4560 4.2 3680 80.7 265 7.2
Total Total 354175 273708 77.3 14020 5.1 11039 78.7 874 7.9

Collaboration areas

Screening process

2023

Invited
Participated
Tested positive (of those who participated)
Had a colonoscopy (of test positives)
Received surgical/neoadjuvant treatment (of those who had colonoscopy)
Collaboration area N N % N % N % N %
Eastern Finland 72144 55729 77.2 2777 5.0 2234 80.4 144 6.4
Inland Finland 68571 51658 75.3 2639 5.1 2100 79.6 182 8.7
Northern Finland 58913 44574 75.7 2323 5.2 1860 80.1 109 5.9
Southern Finland 156073 112421 72.0 5998 5.3 4466 74.5 355 7.9
Western Finland 66949 49917 74.6 2764 5.5 2303 83.3 178 7.7
Total 422650 314299 74.4 16501 5.3 12963 78.6 968 7.5

2022

Invited
Participated
Tested positive (of those who participated)
Had a colonoscopy (of test positives)
Received surgical/neoadjuvant treatment (of those who had colonoscopy)
Collaboration area N N % N % N % N %
Eastern Finland 60324 47934 79.5 2284 4.8 1875 82.1 135 7.2
Inland Finland 57319 44599 77.8 2313 5.2 1852 80.1 172 9.3
Northern Finland 49332 38645 78.3 1970 5.1 1568 79.6 116 7.4
Southern Finland 130943 99200 75.8 5122 5.2 3859 75.3 303 7.9
Western Finland 56257 43330 77.0 2331 5.4 1885 80.9 148 7.9
Total 354175 273708 77.3 14020 5.1 11039 78.7 874 7.9

Participation rate

2023

2022