Bowel cancer screening age range for Māori: what is all the fuss about?

The current New Zealand Bowel Screening Programme (BSP) is inequitable. At present, just over half of bowel cancers in Māori present before the age of 60 years (58% in females and 52% in males), whereas just under a third of bowel cancers in non-Māori are diagnosed before the same age (27% in females and 29% in males). The argument for extending the bowel screening age range down to 50 years for Māori is extremely simple-in comparison to non-Māori, a greater percentage of bowel cancers in Māori occur before the age of 60 years (when screening starts). Commencing the BSP at 50 years of age for Māori with high coverage will help fix this inequity. In this paper we review the current epidemiology of colorectal cancer with respect to the age range extension for Māori.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Dr Crengle reports personal fees from Chair of Te Waipounamu Māori Cancer Leadership Group (Southern Cancer Network (now Southern Hub, Te Aho o te Kahu)) and grants from Co-Director of Cancer Society Research Collaboration, University of Otago, outside the submitted work. She is also Medical Advisor, Bowel Cancer New Zealand, and a Member He Ahuru Mowai (National Māori Cancer Leadership Group). Dr Robson reports other contracts from Ministry of Health, outside the submitted work, and is Member of Hei Āhuru Mōwai. Dr Paine reports grants from Health Research Council of New Zealand during the conduct of the study. Dr Scott reports personal fees from Te Aho o Te Kahu Advisory Council member outside the submitted work and is member of Bowel Screening Advisory Committee, Ministry of Health, and Co-Chair of Hei Āhuru Mōwai—Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa. Dr Harris reports grants from Health Research Council of New Zealand during the conduct of the study and personal fees from Ministry of Health outside the submitted work. Dr McLeod reports grants from Health Research Council of New Zealand during the conduct of the study, personal fees from Waitematā and Auckland DHBs outside the submitted work and is a member of the Bowel Screening Advisory Group and the COVID expert advisory group, Ministry of Health.