Studies

Neighborhood Health Clinic in Naples, FL, a free clinic serving working residents who lack health insurance, implemented an early colorectal cancer detection program and found 10 patients with significant issues after undergoing colonoscopies.

Integrated System Nearly Doubles Colorectal Cancer Screening Rate Through Distribution of Inhome Kit and Followup with Nonresponders
Editorial by Theodore Levin, MD,  AHRQ Innovations Exchange, 2011

Kaiser Permanente of Northern California sends every member due for colorectal cancer screening an in-home fecal immunochemical test (more commonly known as FIT) kit accompanied by a letter from the individual's primary care physician explaining the importance of regular screening and how to complete and send in the kit for processing. Those who do not send in a specimen receive a followup reminder letter after 6 weeks, and those who fail to respond to this followup may receive any of a variety of additional reminders, such as phone calls and secure e-mail communications, from local Kaiser medical centers and physician offices. The program nearly doubled screening rates between 2004 and 2009, allowing Kaiser to almost reach the 90th percentile of performance among commercial health plans, and achieve a target set by Kaiser leaders 5 years ahead of schedule.
  

2009
It’s Time to Make Organized Colorectal Cancer Screening Convenient and Easy for Patients
Editorial by T.R. Levin © 2009 by the American College of Gastroenterology, Volume 104, April 2009

Screening for Colorectal Cancer is underutilized in the general patient population and is in need of a cohesive system implemented by the provider’s health care system.  Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) is optimal for two central reasons: it can be mailed directly to the appropriate patients and it requires no dietary or medicinal restrictions. With a plan in place, patient compliance will climb, resulting in better patient care and higher detection rates of colorectal cancer in more treatable stages.  

2006
Screening for colorectal cancer in Uruguay with an immunochemical faecal occult blood test
E.Fennochi et.al. European Journal of Cancer Prevention, 2006, Vol 15 No 5

This study, conducted in Uruguay, 2005, assessed the use of iFOBT to screen 11,734 participants for colorectal cancer and adenomas in an average risk population.  90.1% (10,573) returned the samples for screening and 11.1% were positive.  Colonoscopy was performed on 75.1% (879) of positive responders which illustrated neoplasia ranging from cancer to low risk adenoma.  The assessment proved high compliance in an average risk population as well as high detection rates using an iFOBT in a country where morbidity and mortality rates for CRC are elevated.  

2005
Abstract from the Presidential Posters and Posters of Distinction Presented at the World Congress of Gastroenterology
WCOG, September 14-18, 2005

One time screening with an immunochroatographic occult blood test predicts the detection of advanced adenoma and colorectal cancer in the average risk population. Quintero et al. PD 54.  “Conclusion; One time screening with an immunochromatographic fecal occult blood predicted the detection of all colorectal cancer and 505 of AA (advanced adenomas).  IFOBT showed a power for advanced adenoma detection four times higher that GFOBT.”

2003
Colorectal cancer screening programme by faecal occult blood test in Tuscany: first round results
G. Grazzini et al. European Journal of Cancer Prevention 2004, 13:19–26

This research paper’s main focus is the magnitude at which the Tuscany region has adopted a colorectal screening program. This paper details the methods at which they collected a massive amount of Immunochemical fecal occult blood test samples from across the country (78,505 separate patient samples), tested these samples, notified the patient and then took necessary actions via colonoscopy, double contrast barium enema, or other therapies for the positive test samples (4537 responders).  Conclusion; bi-annual immunochemical fecal occult blood testing is a viable program.

Comparison of two immunochemical fecal occult blood tests in Florence, Italy.   From Dec 1995 to June of 1998, 5844 subjects completed screening by the automated immunochemical fecal occult blood.  Screening was simple and the standardization of results was ensured.

1999
Copy of Findings & Impact of Nonrehydrated Guaiac Examination of the Rectum (FINGER) Study
E. Bini et al. Arch Intern Med 1999; 159;2022-2026

Testing Stool samples off of digital rectal examination (DRE) is dispirited due to a high volume of false-positive outcomes.  In this study, the result of a positive FOBT was no different in those samples collected with DRE versus a spontaneously passed stool (SPS) sample.  “Conclusion; testing stool for occult blood  at the time of DRE does not increase  the number of false positive test results or the cost per cancer detection in asymptomatic patients at risk for colorectal cancer. “