Between September 12 and 30, all Brussels residents between the ages of 50 and 74 will be invited for a free colon cancer test. They can pick up a test kit from the pharmacy for this.
Last year, Belgium had 7,300 cases of colon cancer. More than 500 cases were diagnosed in Brussels. In 2019, 229 people died from the disease. Colon cancer mainly affects people over the age of 50 (90 percent).
Colon cancer can be cured in nine out of ten cases if detected early. Development is gradual. The first symptoms only appear after years. Prevention and testing are therefore necessary, the Joint Community Commission of the Brussels Region ruled.
In 2019 and 2020, 26,000 tests were carried out in Brussels, or only 12 percent of eligible people. There is also a population screening for colon cancer in Flanders and Wallonia.
This article is originally published on bruzz.be
