Colorectal cancer screening linked to 43% lower death risk in Swedish study

August 20, 2026 at 05:00 AM2 min

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Participation in colorectal cancer screening is associated with a 43% lower risk of dying from the disease, according to a Swedish study published in JAMA Network Open. The analysis followed 376,511 people in the Stockholm–Gotland programme for up to 14 years and recorded 1,668 colorectal cancer deaths. Despite free screening, about one-third of invited people did not submit a stool sample.

Key Facts

Active participation in colorectal cancer screening was associated with a 43% lower risk of dying from the disease, compared with non-participation.
An invitation alone was associated with a 26% lower risk of dying from colorectal cancer.
The study followed 376,511 people for up to 14 years and recorded 1,668 deaths from colorectal cancer.
Around one-third of people invited to screening did not submit a stool sample, despite the test being free and simple.
Stockholm and Gotland introduced routine screening in 2008, and researchers compared people invited between 2008 and 2012 with a control group.

Screening Programme

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers, with a favourable prognosis when detected early. Universal screening was introduced throughout Sweden, offering testing to people aged 60–74 every two years. Participants receive a stool-sample kit by post and return it for analysis of hidden blood. Stockholm and Gotland were early adopters, starting routine screening in 2008.

Mortality Reduction

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Umeå University followed people for up to 14 years to measure the effect of screening on mortality. After adjusting for confounding factors, invitation to screening was associated with a 26% lower risk of dying from colorectal cancer. Active participation was associated with a 43% lower risk of dying from the disease. The study included 376,511 people, with 1,668 colorectal cancer deaths recorded during follow-up. Johannes Blom, the study's corresponding author, said mortality is significantly lower among those who actually take part in screening.

Participation Gap

Around one-third of invited people do not submit a stool sample despite screening being free of charge and simple to carry out. The study highlights the importance of taking part in screening and shows that it can save lives, according to Johannes Blom. Researchers used a statistical method to account for factors such as later screening opportunities in the control group and non-participation among invited individuals.