Offering a Blood Test Increases CRC Screening in Patients Who Had Declined Colonoscopy and FIT
Douglas K. Rex, MD, MASGE, reviewing reviewing Liang PS, et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023 Apr 8.
This was a randomized controlled trial in 359 veterans aged 50 to 75 years who had declined colonoscopy and a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) in the previous 6 months. One group received a written invitation again offering FIT or colonoscopy. The other group invitation also offered FIT or colonoscopy but included the option of a septin 9 blood test if the recipient was unwilling to screen with FIT or colonoscopy.
There were 17 (9.6%) participants in the control group and 31 (17.1%) in the intervention (blood test offer) group who underwent screening (P=.035). In the control group, 2 patients received colonoscopy, and 15 received FIT. In the intervention group, 4 had colonoscopy, 18 completed FIT, and 9 received the blood test.
COMMENTThis brilliantly controlled study shows that offering a blood test enhances screening in patients who have previously declined colonoscopy and FIT and does not appear to diminish the use of FIT and colonoscopy. Now, if we could just get a decent blood test!
Note to readers: At the time we reviewed this paper, its publisher noted that it was not in final form and that subsequent changes might be made.
CITATION(S)
Liang PS, Zaman A, Kaminsky A, et al. Blood test increases colorectal cancer screening in persons who declined colonoscopy and fecal immunochemical test: a randomized controlled trial. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023 Apr 8. (Epub ahead of print) (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2023.03.036)
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