CRC screening response suggests a ‘greater opportunity to leverage’ FIT in younger adults
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CHICAGO — Individuals aged 45 to 49 years who were mailed fecal immunochemical tests for colorectal cancer screening completed the tests in a timelier manner than those aged 50 years and older, according to data from Digestive Disease Week.
“For this analysis, we looked at patients who were invited to screening beginning May 1, 2021, through December 31, 2022, aligned with the change in screening guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to include people aged 45 to 49,” Emily Berry, MSPH, clinical research manager at Moncrief Cancer Institute in Texas, told attendees.
With the American Cancer Society also updating its guidelines in 2018 to lower the CRC screening age from 50 years to 45, Berry and colleagues sought to compare screening uptake data among those newly eligible with those aged 50 years and older. Patients received mailed screening invitations and FIT kits, as well as informational automated phone calls 1 week before and at the time of invitation. Patients also received live reminder calls 2 weeks after invitations were sent.
Individuals with negative results were reinvited for annual screening, while those with abnormal results received referral for a no-cost diagnostic colonoscopy.
Researchers invited 995 individuals aged 45 to 49 years (median age, 47 years; 76.7% women) and 9,498 individuals aged 50 years and older (median age, 59 years; 67.6% women) to complete FIT.
According to results, 46.7% of individuals aged 50 years and older completed FIT screening compared with 44.7% aged 45 to 49 years, with a median time to completion of 65.8 and 56.5 days, respectively. Berry noted similar FIT positivity between groups (6.02% vs. 5.17%).
Researchers also reported that colonoscopy completion after an abnormal result was 43.1% and 39.1%, respectively, with advanced adenomas discovered in 79.1% and 66.7% and CRC in 6.09% and 11.11%.
“While screening participation was similar between the two groups, the 45- to 49-year-old group is significantly more timely which could suggest a greater comfort with the FIT response process and suggests a greater opportunity to be able to leverage this screening modality in reaching this age group,” Berry concluded.
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Berry E, et al. Abstract 409: Screening outcomes in a mailed FIT outreach program for 45- to 49-year-olds compared to those age 50 and older. Presented at: Digestive Disease Week; May 6-9, 2023; Chicago (hybrid).
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