Colorectal cancer kills 11 people in Portugal every day

Colorectal cancer kills 11 people in Portugal every day – and the issue 12-months into almost total focus by health authorities on the pandemic is that early signs of this killer disease are being lost. In 2019, for example, there were more than half a million colonoscopies performed. These can detect early signs of colon cancer which if treated can save patients’ lives. They are tests that should be offered to all healthy people over the age of 50 at least once every five years. 2020 however saw less than 350,000 colonoscopies performed. Medical specialist Leopoldo Matos told SIC television today that a new awareness campaign is underway till April 14 and he hopes that as many people as possible will take not of it and sign up for colonoscopy testing.