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Personalized approach may improve colon cancer screening rates

A simple, personalized intervention is one of the best ways to encourage an individual to get screened for colorectal cancer, according to researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.

Washington, Sept 25 : A simple, personalized intervention is one of the best ways to encourage an individual to get screened for colorectal cancer, according to researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and third leading cause of cancer death but if detected early, the disease can be prevented or easily treated. Generally, recommendations include fecal blood testing every one to two years after age 50, a flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years and a colonoscopy every ten years.

In order to find out if personalised approach is a way to encourage people to get themselves screened for colorectal cancer, Ronald Myers, Ph.D. along with his colleagues divided 1,546 at-risk primary care patients who were not up-to-date on colon cancer screening into four groups.

Scientists randomly assigned patients to receive one of the following: usual care (control); mailed information, screening materials and a mailed reminder (group one); mailed information with messages addressing personal concerns about screening, screening materials, and a mailed reminder (group two); or mailed information with personal messages, screening materials, plus mail and telephone reminders (group three).

The research team found that as compared to usual care control, all of the personalized interventions made a difference.

Two years after the study began, screening rates were higher in each intervention group compared to the control group. Only 33 percent of individuals in the control group were screened, compared to 48 percent in group three, 46 percent in group two and 44 percent in group one.

"We found that we can get a substantial increase in screening by taking a personalized approach in which the at-risk population is identified and then offered screening and information," Dr. Myers said.

"More than 40 percent responded and were screened. By adding in the personal messages that addressed personal barriers to screening, such as concerns about test inconvenience and discomfort, we were able to see additional, modest improvements," Dr. Myers added.

Dr. Myers said that the number of individuals going for colon cancer screening in primary care practices has traditionally been low. His team and others have been trying to find new ways to raise screening rates. But it has been difficult.

"The key to addressing this important public health problem is to apply a relatively simple, low-cost approach that not only increases screening use, but is also cost-effective," Dr. Myers said.

"The potential impact that can be achieved when such an intervention strategy can be delivered to patients in primary care practice settings. In fact, if personalized interventions were delivered as an ancillary service to primary practices, we could increase screening rates substantially, and as a result, reduce the burden of colorectal cancer dramatically," he added as his team showed.

The study is published in the September 24, 2007 issue of the journal Cancer.

ANI