73% fail to visit hospitals within 3 months after cancer screening red flag

A staggering 73.1 percent of participants who received suspicious findings in Korea’s national cancer screening program did not visit a hospital within three months.

According to an analysis of national cancer screening results for stomach, colorectal, liver, cervical, breast, and lung cancer submitted by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) to Rep. Kim Yoon of the Democratic Party of Korea, a member of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee, a total of 130,640 people were found to have suspicious findings last year.

Among them, only 35,098 people (26.9 percent) visited a hospital within three months for additional testing or treatment, while 95,542 people (73.1 percent) took no follow-up action.

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By cancer type, the follow-up rate was lowest for lung cancer, where 82.7 percent (3,591 out of 4,340 people) of those with suspicious or highly suspicious findings did not proceed to further evaluation. Among the 92,413 individuals with suspicious findings for liver cancer, 80.2 percent (74,105) did not seek hospital care, and 77.2 percent of those screened for cervical cancer also failed to receive timely follow-up.

To assess how inadequate follow-up management in the national screening program affects the actual burden of cancer, Rep. Kim—a doctor-turned-lawmaker—estimated the number of latent (potential) cancer patients using confirmation rates from those who did pursue hospital evaluation after a positive screening result.

Potential cancer patients were calculated by multiplying the ratio of confirmed cases among people who visited hospitals after an abnormal finding by the number of individuals who did not undergo follow-up testing within three months. Based on this analysis, the estimated number of potential cancer patients last year reached 15,620.

“Despite opening the path to early detection through the national cancer screening program, the government has neglected follow-up management, leaving countless citizens abandoned as ‘hidden cancer patients,’” Rep. Kim said. “When abnormal findings are detected, the state must take responsibility and systematically manage the process to ensure patients receive medical care within three months.”

Kim added, “Establishing a management system that links screening, diagnosis, and treatment is the government’s minimum duty to protect public health. The system must be improved without delay.”