FIT is used in the population targeted for colorectal carcinoma screening (CRC). The target group is asymptomatic people at average risk, of both genders. Regarding the age-range, there is evidence endorsing the provision of CRC screening to average-risk individuals, beginning at age 50, to detect cancers at a favourable stage before they have advanced to a potentially lethal disease state. According the Ontario HTA Report {16} persons in whom age is the only risk factor for CRC are considered to be at average risk. Factors that place individuals at higher risk include a family history of CRC or adenoma, personal history of CRC or adenoma, and inflammatory bowel disease. There are other protocols for screening of individuals at higher risk for CRC.

In the European guidelines for quality assurance in CRC screening {6} it is suggested that “in the absence of additional evidence, the age range for a screening programme with iFOBT can be based on the limited evidence for the optimal age range in gFOBT trials. The best age range for offering gFOBT screening has not been investigated in trials. Circumstantial evidence suggests that mortality reduction from gFOBT is similar in different age ranges between 45 and 80 years (Level of the evidence IV). The age range for a national screening programme should at least include 60 to 64 years in which CRC incidence and mortality are high and life-expectancy is still considerable. From there the age range could be expanded to include younger and older individuals, taking into account the balance between risk and benefit and the available resources (Level of the evidence VI - B). “