Fig. 1: Curves of observed and expected annual colorectal cancer incidence rates.

The graphs show the curve of observed annual colorectal cancer incidence rates per 100,000 persons aged 50–69 years in 1997–2016 (bold line) and the curve of rates that would be expected in 2005–2016 in the absence of the organised faecal immunochemical test screening programme (dashed line) by sex (a men; b women). The dotted lines represent the 95% confidence bands around the expected annual rates. The expected annual rates were estimated by analysing the observed annual rates in 1997–2016 with an age-period-cohort model (men) and an age-period model (women). 2005 was the year of introduction of the screening programme. 2006 was the first full year of screening. All rates were age-standardised using the European standard population. Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy, 1997–2016.