Title: Evaluation of the “Burgenland PREvention trial of colorectal cancer Disease with
ImmunologiCal Testing” (B-PREDICT) - a population-based colorectal cancer screening
program
Version: 2 Date: 11 Feb 2024
Reviewer:  Günther Egidi
Reviewer's report:
This is VERY IMPORTANT work. Even if it was not randomized, it is a very important building
block for the international discussion as to whether primary colonoscopy or a staged approach
as described here should be pursued.
For the discussion section, I would like to see the age limit of 40-80 years critically weighed
up. For younger people, it could be that the effort involved is unjustifiably high with only a few
hits - for over 70-year-olds, it must be borne in mind that the complication rate of colonoscopies
increases.
The discussion of this risk of possible complications is generally missing in the article.
In addition, I did not understand why people after colonoscopy also received an FIT.
Finally, I would like to see a discussion about which approach should be pursued further: the
significantly increased incidence of colorectal cancer in the Burgenland baseline has fallen very
impressively under (perhaps even because of) the intervention.
However, if the incidence has already fallen, the number needed to screen will probably be
higher in future.
Title: Evaluation of the “Burgenland PREvention trial of colorectal cancer Disease with
ImmunologiCal Testing” (B-PREDICT) - a population-based colorectal cancer screening
program
Version: 2 Date: 11 Feb 2024
Reviewer:  Günther Egidi
Reviewer's report:
This is VERY IMPORTANT work. Even if it was not randomized, it is a very important building
block for the international discussion as to whether primary colonoscopy or a staged approach
as described here should be pursued.
For the discussion section, I would like to see the age limit of 40-80 years critically weighed
up. For younger people, it could be that the effort involved is unjustifiably high with only a few
hits - for over 70-year-olds, it must be borne in mind that the complication rate of colonoscopies
increases.
The discussion of this risk of possible complications is generally missing in the article.
In addition, I did not understand why people after colonoscopy also received an FIT.
Finally, I would like to see a discussion about which approach should be pursued further: the
significantly increased incidence of colorectal cancer in the Burgenland baseline has fallen very
impressively under (perhaps even because of) the intervention.
However, if the incidence has already fallen, the number needed to screen will probably be
higher in future.
Please review this paper.
user
Title: Evaluation of the “Burgenland PREvention trial of colorectal cancer Disease with
ImmunologiCal Testing” (B-PREDICT) - a population-based colorectal cancer screening
program
Version: 2 Date: 11 Feb 2024
Reviewer:  Günther Egidi
Reviewer's report:
This is VERY IMPORTANT work. Even if it was not randomized, it is a very important building
block for the international discussion as to whether primary colonoscopy or a staged approach
as described here should be pursued.
For the discussion section, I would like to see the age limit of 40-80 years critically weighed
up. For younger people, it could be that the effort involved is unjustifiably high with only a few
hits - for over 70-year-olds, it must be borne in mind that the complication rate of colonoscopies
increases.
The discussion of this risk of possible complications is generally missing in the article.
In addition, I did not understand why people after colonoscopy also received an FIT.
Finally, I would like to see a discussion about which approach should be pursued further: the
significantly increased incidence of colorectal cancer in the Burgenland baseline has fallen very
impressively under (perhaps even because of) the intervention.
However, if the incidence has already fallen, the number needed to screen will probably be
higher in future.
assistant