Since September 16, 2024, anyone between 50 and 74 years old can obtain the colorectal cancer screening kit free of charge and directly from a Walloon pharmacy.
Previously, the people concerned received a letter inviting them to request the test from their attending physician or from the Coordination and Reference Center for Cancer Screening (CCRef). A simplification which in no way takes away the support since the pharmacist provides all the information necessary for the test to be carried out correctly. By making the process easier, the authorities hope to increase the number of people getting tested.
What does the test consist of? The colorectal cancer screening test involves looking for occult blood (that is, invisible to the naked eye) in the stool. Thanks to detailed instructions provided with the kit, sampling is quick and easy to carry out by yourself at home. Once the test has been carried out, the sample must be sent by post within 5 days at the latest in an envelope provided for this purpose, pre-addressed and pre-stamped.
What if there is cancer? If the colonoscopy diagnoses cancer, you will be required to carry out a specific assessment and you will be taken care of by a multidisciplinary team as detailed by Dr Marc Van Hoof. “We hold a multidisciplinary meeting, the oncology consultation, during which we summarize the file and establish a treatment plan. Often we turn to surgery but not always. In cases of metastatic cancer, other options should be considered. The care at the Saint-Luc Bouge Clinic is optimal because there is effective interaction between the different stakeholders: gastroenterologists at the diagnostic level, surgeons and oncologists at the treatment level, our nursing teams at the coordination level, etc. and of course our excellent collaboration with the UCL Namur University Hospital – Sainte-Elisabeth site for carrying out radiotherapy. This collaboration is essential, each link is essential to provide optimal, high-quality care. »
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