At-home colorectal cancer screenings pose challenges for some

Newswise — DALLAS – Dec. 14, 2023 – Despite the convenience of at-home screening tests for early detection of colorectal cancer (CRC), a study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers examining more than a decade of patient data found that about 10% of the tests could not be processed, mostly due to patient error.

The findings, published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, provide critical insights into challenges that patients have collecting a specimen, properly labeling samples, and completing follow-up tests in a timely manner.

“The study underscores the importance of addressing breakdowns in the screening process, particularly in specimen collection and labeling,” said corresponding author Rasmi Nair, M.B.B.S., M.P.H., Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health at UT Southwestern. “Understanding and mitigating barriers to successful colorectal cancer screening is critical for improving CRC outcomes.”

Dr. Nair co-led the research with Po-Hong Stuart Liu, M.D., M.P.H., Clinical Research Fellow in the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases at UT Southwestern.

The at-home tests for CRC are often more convenient, less costly, and less invasive than a colonoscopy or other stool-based tests.

This retrospective study looked at in-home fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) submitted between 2010 and 2019 from 56,980 individuals who had a primary care visit through Parkland Health in the year prior to the test. Parkland Health is a safety net hospital system in Dallas County and UT Southwestern’s primary teaching hospital. Patients of average CRC risk between ages 50 and 74 were included in the analysis to determine the rates of unsatisfactory FITs and subsequent follow-up testing.

Dr. Nair and her team discovered that more than 10% of FIT samples could not be processed in the laboratory; that rate is double the 5% recommended threshold set by the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer. Inadequate specimen collection (51%), incomplete labeling (27%), age of specimen (13%), and broken or leaking containers (8%) were the primary causes of failed tests. The study also found higher failure rates among patients who were male, Black, or Spanish-speaking, or on Medicaid. Additionally, patients who received kits in the mail rather than from a practitioner were at greater risk of test failure.

Researchers advocate for more robust patient education strategies, better test-tracking procedures, and timely follow-up of problem tests to reduce FIT failure rates and improve patient care through early CRC interventions. Researchers also anticipate that their findings will boost the effectiveness of other at-home testing services. 

“Our findings could impact other at-home tests such as fecal DNA tests for CRC screening and future home testing for human papillomavirus, for instance,” Dr. Nair said. “Understanding the reasons for unsatisfactory home tests, implementing automatic ordering of subsequent tests, and ensuring appropriate completion of tests and follow-up become increasingly important.” 

Other UTSW researchers who contributed to this study were Celette Sugg Skinner, Ph.D., Professor in the O’Donnell School of Public Health and a member of the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center; Noel Santini, M.D., M.B.A., Clinical Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern and Vice President and Senior Medical Director of Ambulatory & Population Medicine at Parkland Health; and Cynthia Ortiz, M.P.H., Ellen Hu, M.H.S., and Jacquelyn M. Lykken, Ph.D., all with the O’Donnell School of Public Health.

This study was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health (U54 CA163308, UM1 CA222035, and T32 DK007745) and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (PP160075).

About UT Southwestern Medical Center

UT Southwestern, one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution’s faculty members have received six Nobel Prizes and include 26 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 21 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 13 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The full-time faculty of more than 3,100 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in more than 80 specialties to more than 120,000 hospitalized patients, more than 360,000 emergency room cases, and oversee nearly 5 million outpatient visits a year.

About Parkland Health

Parkland Health is one of the largest public hospital systems in the country. Premier services at the state-of-the-art Parkland Memorial Hospital include the Level I Rees-Jones Trauma Center, the only burn center in North Texas verified by the American Burn Association for adult and pediatric patients, and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The system also includes two on-campus outpatient clinics – the Ron J. Anderson, MD Clinic and the Moody Outpatient Center, as well as more than 30 community-based clinics and numerous outreach and education programs. By cultivating its diversity, inclusion, and health equity efforts, Parkland enriches the health and wellness of the communities it serves. For more information, visit parklandhealth.org.