Participation in screening colonoscopy in first-degree relatives from patients with colorectal cancer

Background: Current guidelines recommend screening colonoscopy in first-degree relatives of patients with colon cancer. The aim of this state-wide study was to investigate the compliance for colonoscopy in first-degree relatives, who were younger than 60 years of age. Methods: A total of 602 patients were identified from the tumor registry of the public health insurance of Lower Saxony. A questionnaire was sent to these patients, which included a number of different questions regarding their knowledge about the risk of colon cancer for their family members, as well as their participation in screening colonoscopy. Results: Data from 442 patients and their first-degree relatives (1005 siblings and 354 parents) were available; 178 parents had undergone screening colonoscopy and 344 siblings. Interestingly, the percentage of siblings who underwent screening colonoscopy was significantly higher (27%) among those siblings where the index patients were aware of the increased risk for the first-degree relatives, in contrast to the siblings of the index patients who were not aware of this risk (20%). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that only a minority of first-degree relatives undergo screening colonoscopy and that informing patients about the potential risk for their relatives will increase participation in screening colonoscopy in first-degree relatives of the patients.