Annual Report 2006

16
Updated
Publications
Physical activity
Knowing more about rectal
cancer
Knowing more about
primary liver cancer
Isreal Cancer Association
Annual Report 2006
Prof. Gadi Rennert delivering his speech at the press conference
patients diagnosed in Israel are diagnosed at
an advanced stage of the disease, due to low
compliance rates to undergo early detection
tests. The disease is particularly prevalent
among those aged 50 and up, and the risk of
contracting the disease increases with age. When
the disease is discovered at an early stage, the
chances of a cure reach nearly 90%; therefore it
is very important to detect the disease as early
as possible, thus improving treatment results
and patients' quality of life.
Prof. Eliezer Robinson, ICA Chairman, pointed
out that each year over half a million people
die of colorectal cancer throughout the globe.
472,687 new cases are diagnosed each year
among females and 250,532 women die of
the disease annually. 550,465 new cases are
diagnosed each year among males and 278,446
men die of the disease annually.
Mrs. Miri Ziv, ICA Director General provided
surprising statistics from a survey that was
conducted especially for Colorectal Cancer
Awareness Month. This survey examined the
public's compliances rates to undergo an early
detection test for colorectal cancer and the
results indicated that 77% of the public would
request a referral from a physician to undergo
an early detection test. Further details about
the survey will be provided below.
Knesset Member Yaakov Edri, former Minister
of Health, who participated in the press conference
commended the Israel Cancer Association
for its longtime involvement in prevention, early
detection and the fight against cancer and
called upon the public to undergo this simple
and potentially life-saving test.
Special Survey marking
Colorectal Cancer Awareness
Month
The press conference presented results from a
special survey conducted for the ICA by Market
Watch through a computerized telephone poll
at the end of February 2006. 500 interviewees
participated in the survey, constituting a national
and representative sample of the Hebrew
speaking population in Israel. According to
the survey it emerged that 77% of the Israeli
public would request a referral from their family
physician to undergo an early detection test for
colorectal cancer. This finding emerged from the
calculation of the participants' responses to the
question whether they were aware of the fact
that a non-invasive fecal occult blood test may
be performed free of charge, and whether they
would ask for a referral for such a test from their
physician. 23% indicated that they would not ask
for one. Additionally, the survey indicated that
the percentage of those interested in requesting
a physician's referral was relatively high among
women, with 82% of them indicating they were
interested in taking the test as opposed to 72%
of the men who indicated this; particularly high
results emerged in the State Capital and the
south, with 82% of Jerusalemites and inhabitants
of Beer Sheva responding that they would
request to be checked as opposed to 74% in
Gush Dan (Tel Aviv metropolitan area) and in
the central region and 73% in the Sharon area
as indicated in the following table: