The response to invitations to take free tests to screen for colorectal cancer still leaves much to be desired, according to Parliamentary Secretary for Health Chris Fearne.

March is colorectal cancer awareness month, and on a press conference to mark the occasion, Mr Fearne noted that while the proportion of people accepting invitations is increasing, only about half of those invited to take the test are currently doing so.

Colorectal cancer is the third-most common cancer in Malta - after breast cancer and lung cancer - and the second-deadliest, after lung cancer. Around 300 new cases are diagnosed annually, causing around 100 deaths every year. The cancer most commonly occurs in people aged 50 and over, and affects men and women equally.

Head of screening services Joe Psaila noted that the mortality rate of colorectal cancer patients is high across the globe, and that the only way to bring this rate down, at present, was through early detection - ideally before the cancer presents any symptoms.

With this in mind, a National Colorectal Screening Programme was launched in November 2012, with the aim of inviting 15,000 people aged 60-64 to undergo colon screening every year.

This year, the programme is being extended to cover people aged 60-66, and Mr Fearne announced that it is planned to extend the programme to cover people aged 55-59.

People who are eligible are invited to take an immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT), which is the only test recommended by the EU for colorectal screening.

The test, as Mr Fearne and head of screening services Joe Psaila explained, is carried out in the privacy of one's home.

A small, easy-to-use kit is used to collect a small stool sample, which is then sent by mail - free of charge - to the National Cancer Screening Programme premises in Lascaris Wharf, Valletta, for a laboratory analysis.

A positive test - one which detects tiny traces of blood - will lead to patients being invited to take additional tests: a colonoscopy will typically be required: the blood may result from various causes. These tests may be carried out in Mater Dei Hospital or in the Gozo General Hospital.

An information stand has been set up outside the Law Courts in Valletta, where advice and information may be sought from National Cancer Screening Programme.

There are various ways to reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer, including controlling one's weight, a varied high-fibre and low-fat diet - with five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables daily - 30 minutes of physical activity daily, stopping smoking and drinking alcohol in moderation.