Table 2

Overview of participation and FIT performance characteristics per screening round

Group IGroup IIGroup IIIp Value
Screening round I
 Eligible invitees, n238524282416
 Participation rate, n (%)1543 (64.7)1481 (61.0)1499 (62.0)
 Positivity rate, n (%)139 (9.0)127 (8.6)114 (7.6)
 Detection rate of
  Advanced neoplasia, n (%)55 (3.6)43 (2.9)50 (3.4)
  Advanced adenoma, n (%)51 (3.3)33 (2.2)42 (2.8)
  Colorectal cancer n (%)4 (0.3)10 (0.7)8 (0.5)
Screening round II
 Eligible invitees, n203420482029
 Participation rate, n (%)1286 (63.2)1280 (62.5)1298 (64.0)0.04
  Participant round I, n (%)1166 (89.8)1123 (90.9)1138 (91.3)
  Non-participant round I, n (%)120 (16.3)157 (19.3)160 (20.5)
 Positivity rate, n (%)70 (5.4)85 (6.6)75 (5.8)0.40
  Participant round I, n (%)60 (5.1)76 (6.8)64 (5.6)
  Non-participant round I, n (%)10 (8.3)9 (5.7)11 (6.9)
 Detection rate of
  Advanced neoplasia, n (%)25 (1.9)27 (2.1)22 (1.7)0.77
  Advanced adenoma, n (%)24 (1.9)23 (1.8)20 (1.5)
  Colorectal cancer, n (%)1 (0.1)4 (0.3)2 (0.2)
 Detection rate of
  Advanced neoplasia, n (%)25 (1.9)27 (2.1)22 (1.7)0.77
   Participant round I, n (%)19 (1.6)23 (2.1)18 (1.6)
   Non-participant round I, n (%)6 (5.0)4 (2.5)4 (2.5)

  • Groups I, II and III: Individuals were invited for two 1-sample FIT screening rounds after an interval of 1, 2 or 3 years, respectively.

  • Screened individuals with a positive test result in the first screening round, subjects who fulfilled the exclusion criteria of the first round, individuals who had moved out of the region, had died, or reached >75 years were not invited for a second FIT-based screening round.

  • Advanced neoplasia was defined as a colorectal cancer and an adenoma ≥10 mm, an adenoma with ≥25% villous histology or with high grade dysplasia.

  • FIT, faecal immunochemical test (OC-Sensor Micro), cut-off value 50 ng haemoglobin/ml.