Introduction The two most common pathways through which colorectal cancer (CRC) is diagnosed in 60–69-year-olds are the 2-week wait pathway or bowel cancer screenng. The 2-week wait system involves fast tracking patients with worrying symptoms such as rectal bleeding, change of bowel habit to loose stools or iron deficiency anaemia to colonoscopy. Bowel cancer screening patients are offered faecal occult blood (FOB) testing and then colonoscopy if they prove positive. We have compared the CRC diagnoses made via each pathway.

Methods We identified all 60–69-year-olds who underwent colonoscopy between 1.4.08 and 31.3.09 in the Newcastle Hospitals as part of the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme or via the 2-week wait system from the endoscopy IT system. All patients with a colonoscopic diagnosis of CRC or of a polyp had their histology reviewed. All patients with confirmed CRC, after multidisciplinary team review and treatment were categorised as to the site and staging of the cancer and the two groups were compared.

Results See Abstract 010.

Conclusion Patients with bowel cancer diagnosed by bowel cancer screening are more likely to have their CRC in the sigmoid colon and to be diagnosed at an earlier stage than those referred through the 2-week pathway. There is a strong trend towards patients being diagnosed by BCS being male.