Colonoscopy Is Saving Lives in Germany and the U.S.

In the current study, researchers analyzed aggregate data on colonoscopy effectiveness, colonoscopy utilization, and colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality to determine the fraction of CRC deaths prevented and yet preventable by colonoscopy in the U.S. and Germany.

For Germany in the period 2008 to 2011, it was estimated that colonoscopy prevented 31% of all CRCs. In the U.S., for the periods 2008–2009 and 2010–2011, it was estimated that colonoscopy prevented 29% and 34% of deaths, respectively, or a total of 50,400 deaths in the U.S. during that 4-year period.

In the equivalent periods, researchers estimated that the percentage of deaths that could be attributed to nonuse of colonoscopy was 37% in Germany and 38% and 34% for the tw…