[Screening for colorectal cancer. Collaboration among politicians and scientists is necessary]. / Skimun fyrir krabbameini í ristli og endathornarmi. Samvinna milli stjórnmálamanna og vísindamanna er nauethsynleg.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the western world. It is especially common in the Nordic countries. In many of the European countries and in the United States colonoscopy is recommended as a screening procedure for CRC. However, there are no randomized studies of the effects of the method on incidence, mortality, possible complications or negative effects on the population. Public pressure to have screening for CRC with colonoscopy will probably increase heavily in the next years to come. We fear that colonoscopy will be introduced as a screening method without proper scientific support. Therefore we want to argue for a common Nordic randomized study on population screening with colonoscopy.