Use of revolutionary data, a study shows that a simple, non-invasive, at-home test for colorectal cancer could theoretically lower the risk of death from the disease and could serve well as an alternative to the standard colonoscopies. Publishing in JAMA Network Open, the research uses the fecal immunochemical test, which reduces the risk of death from colorectal cancer by 33%.
The researchers-themselves a part of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and Kaiser Permanente-used data from nearly 11,000 patients who had been screened between the years 2002 and 2017 with FIT at home. Kaiser Permanente, the leader in at-home screening programs, provided data for this from its members in Northern and Southern California.
“The right screening test is the one that gets done, and is done well,” said Dr. Chyke Doubeni, senior author of the study and chief equity officer at the Wexner Medical Center. He said that even though it is proven that colorectal cancer can be detected at an early stage and treatment is beneficial, only about 60% of Americans aged 45-75 are up to date with their screening. He also pointed out that individuals tend to be fearful and embarrassed over colonoscopies, and this has always been the delaying factor and the tendency toward diagnosing people in the severe stage of the disease where it is less treatable.
Results
The study found out that the FIT screening every year is as effective in screening for cancer as the every-decade colonoscopy, which average-risk individuals typically go through. According to Doubeni, this should be reassuring to both people and clinicians to adopt the noninvasive test mainly in populations having vastly underserved health and low screening rates.
FIT screening means that you take the sample yourself at home and then send it off to a lab. The test screens for invisible blood in the stool, which may indicate the presence of colon cancer or precancerous polyps. A colonoscopy is a test using a flexible tube with a camera on the end, inserted through an individual’s rectum, that views the inner surface of his or her intestines; the test is also capable of taking out polyps.
Research also indicated that FIT screening could lower the total risk of death from left-side colon cancer by 42%, which also covered the rectal cancers of the colon. Below, the advantages are given to various ethnic groups. For non-Hispanic Asians, FIT screening led to a 63% reduced risk of death, 42% for non-Hispanic Blacks, and 30% of death risk reduced in non-Hispanic Whites. While that of the Hispanics it reduces by only 22%, this being not at a significant level.
“Colorectal cancer screening works and is one of the best ways of decreasing deaths from colorectal cancer,” added Dr. Douglas Corley, co-principal investigator and chief research officer at Kaiser Permanente, Northern California. He added that regular, annual use of FIT as recommended could bring even larger reductions in cancer deaths over time.
At-home colorectal cancer screening tests are currently available through a pilot program that The Wexner Medical Center and the OSUCCC, James have started but are also available at primary care clinics, increasing the availability and observance of colorectal cancer screening.
Specific to the American Cancer Society is the mention of colon cancer incidents being 20% more in Blacks and mortality by 40% compared to non-Hispanic Whites; the Appalachian region comprises this statistic as well.
The study brought to light the fact that when FIT results are positive, a follow-up colonoscopy ought to be performed to confirm the findings and to clear precancerous polyps noted. “The evidence shows that FIT done every year is as good as getting a colonoscopy every 10 years for screening people of average risk,” said Dr. Doubeni.
This research provides promise for an alternative to traditional colonoscopy that can increase screening rates and decrease death from colorectal cancer, particularly for disadvantageous communities.