January 27, 2023 – Nearly half of individuals with a positive stool test result don't receive a potentially life-saving follow-up colonoscopy, in line with a brand new study.
The researchers said clinicians were “universally surprised” that their patients didn't seek further treatment.
“This is obviously a huge problem,” said study co-author Dr. Jeff Mohl, director of research and analytics on the American Medical Group Association. Health Day“If you're trying to estimate how many lives will be saved, you're assuming that everyone who gets a positive result gets a follow-up. And if half of them don't, you're obviously only going to save half as many people.”
Stool tests are 71% to 92% accurate depending on the screening type, in line with the Cleveland ClinicEarly detection is essential: If colon cancer is detected early, 90% of individuals live no less than five years.
The study was published this month in JAMA Network Open. Researchers analyzed data from 32,769 people ages 50 to 75 who received a positive stool screening test result between January 2017 and June 2020.
Overall, 56% of people scheduled follow-up colonoscopies inside one yr. Healthcare providers of patients who didn't receive colonoscopies indicated that the perceived inconvenience of the procedure can have played a task of their patients' decision.
Colonoscopies search for colon cancer and possibly precancerous polyps. The procedure is frequently performed on an outpatient basis, takes about an hour, and requires a change in food regimen and the taking of a laxative beforehand.
People should start colorectal screenings at age 45, so Guidelines by an independent panel. People at average risk can first do stool screening tests like those utilized in the study.
The researchers found that the likelihood of scheduling a follow-up colonoscopy was influenced by an individual's race, ethnicity, insurance type, and variety of screening used (fecal immunochemical testing or multitarget stool DNA). Socioeconomic aspects and the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly related to lower follow-up rates.
The study authors found that few health systems tracked whether patients underwent colonoscopy after a positive stool result and really useful prioritizing the backlog.