FIT kits sent by mail send nearly double the rate of colon cancer screening

Publishing fecal immunochemical tests directly to Medicaid-insured patients has helped to improve colorectal cancer screening rates, according to a study published in Cancer .

Alison T. Brenner, PhD, MPH, of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and colleagues wrote that despite the benefits of early detection, less than two one-third of eligible patients are screened for CRC.

screening rates since colorectal cancer is a preventable disease, "said Brenner in a press release." Screening rates are only about 63%, and low-income and vulnerable populations tend to be screened at even lower rates. "

In a randomized patient-level trial, Brenner and colleagues sought to determine program could help improve screening rates in Medicaid-insured patients. identified patients with a medium risk of colorectal cancer and no evidence of screening with Medicaid claims and sent a screening reminder to each patient.A group of patients also received a FIT kit with their booster (n = 764), while that the other group received only booster (n = 726) .The main outcome of the study was the return FIT

In the group that received a FIT kit, 161 patients on t returned a screening test, while 89 patients in the recall group only underwent FIT screening (21.1% vs. 12.3%; difference 8.8%; 95% CI, 3.7-13.9). Brenner and colleagues found that patients who received the FIT kit were 1.72 times more likely to complete the FIT than patients who did not receive FIT (95% CI, 1.35-2.18 P < .01). found that 18 of the patients who had FIT in both groups had abnormal results, and 10 of 15 patients eligible for colonoscopy completed this follow-up.

Brenner and his colleagues worked with the Mecklenburg County Health Department in North Carolina to coordinate reminders and mailings. Ms. Brenner said it was a good opportunity to show how to use existing resources to improve cancer screenings, and her group intends to continue her research and determine if their approach can be extended to larger scale. medical district – to mobilize community resources to target patients and, in this case, insured patients, who may not be receiving a primary health care organization, and how to increase screening rates among these vulnerable populations ". Press release. – by Alex Young

Disclosures : The authors do not report any relevant financial disclosure.