HKers aged 50 to 75 urged to get screened for colorectal cancer starting Jan

Health authorities are calling on all eligible Hong Kong residents to participate in the Colorectal Cancer Screening Programme (CRCSP) from New Year’s Day for early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer—the city's second leading cause of cancer deaths.

According to the Department of Health,  over 579,000 individuals have enrolled in the CRCSP as of the end of November.

Among participants, about 45,000 people (7.9 percent) were diagnosed with pre-cancerous colorectal adenomas and approximately 3,800 persons (0.7 percent) were confirmed to have colorectal cancer following colonoscopy examinations.

The department highlighted that more than 50 percent of the colorectal cancer cases detected through screening were in the early stages, underscoring the program’s effectiveness.

Edwin Tsui Lok-kin, Controller of the Center for Health Protection of the Department of Health, pointed out that colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death in Hong Kong.

In 2023, 5,467 new cases were recorded, accounting for 14.4 percent of all new cancer diagnoses.

To facilitate early intervention, Tsui is urging all residents born between 1950 and 1976 to join the CRCSP starting January 1, 2026 and to undergo screening tests every two years until age 75. 

Participants will first consult a primary care doctor and take a Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT). A positive FIT result leads to a referral for a colonoscopy, while a negative result will require repeat screening in two years.

The programme is supported by a wide network, with over 1,200 primary care doctors enrolled across approximately 2,300 clinics, and 260 colonoscopy specialists offering services at about 790 clinics.

It is stated that most of the service locations do not charge additional fees for colonoscopy and polyp removal.  For a standard colonoscopy, specialists may only charge a maximum co-payment of HK$1,000.

Alongside screening, health officials encourage the public to adopt preventive lifestyle habits, including regular exercise, a daily diet of two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.