The diffusion of screening programmes in Italy, year 2009.

In 2009, screening programmes in Italy continued to have positive results, as well as retaining some of the issues encountered in previous years. Overall, in 2009 over 9,000,000 people were invited to undergo a screening examination (3,547,000, 2,522,000 and 2,994,000, for cervical, breast, and colorectal cancer, respectively). More than 4 million people actually took up the invitation (1,393,000, 1,363,000, and 1,423,000 for cervical, breast, and colorectal cancer, respectively). The screening activities led to the finding of 5,973 breast cancers (36% of annual occurring breast cancers in Italy in the 50-69 year age group), 4 454 CIN2 or more severe cervical lesions, 2,556 colorectal cancers (16% of annual occurring CRC cancer in Italy in the 50-69 year age group), and 13,554 advanced adenomas.