{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.021158129175946547, 'fraction_numerical': 0.012249443207126948, 'mean_word_length': 5.074324324324325, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Population based screening in Scotland reduces bowel cancer deaths

Faecal occult blood testing can cut the number of colorectal cancer deaths by 27%, says the first study to show the impact of a population based screening programme.

The study, funded by the Scottish government Health Department, found a 10% reduction in bowel cancer deaths among all those invited for screening compared with those not invited. This rose to 27% among participants who actually completed the test. The research was presented at the National Cancer Research Institute Cancer Conference in Liverpool on 9 November.

Previous randomised controlled trials of faecal occult blood testing have shown a combined overall reduction in colorectal mortality of 16% in those invited for screening and 23% in participants.

Study author, Robert Steele, professor of surgery at the University of Dundee, said: “For the first …