Risk-adapted screenings
The purpose of risk-adapted screening is to identify people with a considerably greater risk of developing cancer on the basis of certain risk indicators and to reduce the burden of disease and the mortality rate through targeted screening, diagnosis and treatment. In particular, the identification of genetic risk indicators and the establishment of suitable molecular genetic test methods that enable the identification of persons at risk provide the opportunity of risk-adapted cancer screening examinations.
As part of the German National Cancer Plan, an interdisciplinary working group has formulated a paper that deals with the criteria and requirements for risk-adapted prevention based particularly on the new genetic risk factors. It has been developed in order to highlight clinically relevant diagnostic parameters for gene variants and as a guide for the examination of new risk genes. It is ultimately conceived to protect patients and those seeking advice from inefficient and unproven preventive measures. In addition, regulatory mechanisms are currently being developed and discussed i. a. at the European level which intend to provide the opportunity of using risk-adapted screening under consideration of the associated risks.
Methods paper of the working group "Risk-adapted screening" of the German National Cancer Plan Online Version
The German Federal Ministry of Health provides further information on the German National Cancer Plan and specifically on risk-adapted screening: Federal Ministry of Health: interdisciplinary topic – risk-adapted cancer screening. Online Version (German)
See for further information on regulatory aspects of i. a. risk-adapted cancer screening:
Van den Bulcke, M. / Boccia, S. / De Censi, A./ Decoster, L. / Federici, A. / Nowak, F. / Kholmanskikh, O. / Peeters, M. / Rolfo, C. / Salgado, R. / Schmützler, R. / Vermeesch, J. (2017): Policy Paper on Public Health Genomics in Cancer. In: Federici, A. / Nicoletti, G. / Van den Bulck, M. (eds.): Cancer Control Joint Action – Policy Papers. Ljubljana: National Institute of Public Health; Brussels: Scientific Institute of Public Health. Online Version
The Robert Koch Institute provides background information on cancer screening at five-year intervals:
Zentrum für Krebsregisterdaten im Robert Koch-Institut (2016) (Hg.): Bericht zum Krebsgeschehen in Deutschland 2016. Berlin, Kapitel 6. Online Version (German)
For further information on current methods and limitations of early cancer detection see:
Chen, M. / Zhao, H. (2019): Next-generation sequencing in liquid biopsy: cancer screening and early detection. In: Human Genomics 13 (34). doi: 10.1186/s40246-019-0220-8 Online Version