How often have you stopped short of the finish line on your health goals? A new study published in JAMA Network Open found that 52 percent of patients did not follow through with colon cancer screening recommendations when hidden blood was found in their stool samples.
Two Types of Colorectal Cancer Screenings
Cancer of the colon and rectum is a leading cause of cancer death in the United States. There are two types of screenings that help detect colon cancer or abnormalities:
- Stool-based tests — These tests are less invasive and check for signs of cancer in a stool sample. You must repeat these tests more often than visual exams. Examples of these are fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) and stool DNA tests.
- Visual exams — These cancer screening tests look for abnormalities in the structure of the rectum and colon. Colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy and virtual colonoscopy are the three tests available.
Colonoscopy is the gold standard for colon cancer screening. During colonoscopy, your doctor will visually inspect the entire colon and remove pre-cancerous polyps, which reduces the risk of cancer. If you do not have polyps, you may not need to repeat the test for 10 years.
Young patients and patients who are at average risk for colon cancer sometimes prefer stool-based tests (SBT) because they do not have to do colonoscopy prep or take time off work. If the test is positive, patients need to schedule a colonoscopy to determine whether the blood is from colon cancer or another source, like hemorrhoids or ulcers.
Less Than Half of Adults Complete Necessary Follow-Up Colonoscopy
Elizabeth L. Ciemins, PhD, MPH, from the American Medical Group Association in Alexandria, Virginia, led a quality improvement study to analyze whether screening-eligible adults chose to get a follow-up colonoscopy after an abnormal stool test.
“Based on our previous work, we recognized a serious deficit in patients receiving the necessary follow-up after an abnormal stool-based screening test for colorectal cancer,” said Dr. Ciemins. “Our accompanying qualitative research identified a lack of awareness in current rates of follow-up by primary care providers and others.”
The researchers looked at data from 38 health care organizations for 20,581 patients aged 50 to 75 years who received abnormal results from a colorectal cancer SBT. The team found that 47.9 percent had a follow-up colonoscopy within six months.
The study found that follow-up colonoscopy screening rates were lower among Black patients (37.1 percent) and patients with Medicare and Medicaid (49.2 and 39.2 percent, respectively).
“Use of SBTs may increase overall screening rates, but abnormal results must be followed up with a colonoscopy to diagnose CRC — ideally as soon as possible, but definitely within the six months after an abnormal test result,” the research authors wrote.
Tips Make Colonoscopy More Manageable
Have you received a positive stool-based test and you need to schedule a follow-up colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy might seem scary or intimidating, but the new prep solutions are low-volume, more palatable and easier to consume. Here are seven tips to make a colonoscopy prep more comfortable:
- Reduce or eliminate meat from your diet a few days before your prep day.
- You will need to spend one day on a clear liquid diet. Create variety in your clear liquids by purchasing assorted flavors of broth, gelatin and Italian ice. Just remember to avoid anything that has red or blue dye, as it may make it more difficult to examine the colon.
- Chill your colonoscopy prep liquid. Drink it chilled and chase it with cold water.
- Use a straw to drink the prep liquid. You can drink it faster and you will not taste it as much.
- Purchase soft toilet paper and flushable wipes.
- Plan to watch that new series or movie on prep day, as it will give you something to look forward to instead of dread!
- Plan an at-home project or activity that will occupy you on prep day.
Screenings Essential for Preventive Care
Preventive medical care is important for optimum health, but we often put health screenings at the bottom of our to-do list. Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States, but one-third of Americans are overdue for a colon cancer screening.
The American Cancer Society recommends that all adults who are at average risk for colon cancer begin screening at age 45. If you have a family or personal history of colon cancer, colon polyps, inflammatory bowel disease or hereditary colon cancer syndromes such as Lynch syndrome or FAAP, you should undergo screening at an earlier age.
Most insurance plans provide coverage for screening colonoscopy beginning at 45, but call your insurance provider for more details about your health plan. Now that we are in the second half of the year, it is important to schedule procedures as soon as possible.
Are You Looking for a GI Specialist?
Perhaps you have not scheduled a colonoscopy or GI consultation because you need to find a gastroenterologist. Our fellowship-trained gastroenterologists are accepting new patients at our GI facilities nationwide. Call our centers today to ask about colon cancer screening or any other digestive procedure. We offer treatment for GERD, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and other chronic digestive system conditions.