A BOWEL CANCER screening system launched by Tallaght hospital has resulted in 192 colon cancers or pre-cancerous tumours being detected.

Details of a two-year study were published today which outline how the hospital invited 10,000 people aged 50 to 74 from the Tallaght area to use a home test kit and return it for analysis.

Over half of the people invited responded to the invitation, which Prof Colm Ó Moráin, consultant gastroenterologist at Tallaght said was encouraging, RTÉ reports.

After volunteers conducted the home test and submitted their results, 400 colonoscopies were undertaken that resulted in 154 pre-cancerous tumours and 38 cancerous lesions being detected.

Rates of bowel cancer in Ireland are among the highest in Europe: over 2,000 new cases of bowel cancer are diagnosed each year. Almost one thousand people die from the disease on average each year.

A national bowel cancer screening programme is due to start on a phased basis from 2012. It is hoped that around 300 lives a year will be saved by the programme.

The first phase of the programme will see people aged 60 to 69 years being screened; the second phase will be expanded over time to include the full 55-74 age group.