Downers Grove, IL – The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has kicked off a project that is designed to develop a financially sustainable and replicable model that can be used across the U.S. to ensure that patients in minority or otherwise underserved populations who have a positive stool-based colorectal cancer screening test get a timely follow-up colonoscopy.
“After lung cancer, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States,” says ASGE President-elect Jennifer Christie, MD. “Offering patients recommended screening options is one way to get more people screened for this disease, but if a non-colonoscopy screening test is positive it must be followed up with a colonoscopy if the patient is to benefit from screening. Fortunately, policies have changed to remove cost sharing for follow-up colonoscopy, but we still can do more to ensure every positive patient gets recommended follow-up.”
Dr. Christie believes that the reasons some patients do not follow up can be attributed to a diverse and sometimes complex mix of clinical and non-clinical barriers, including a lack of awareness among patients and healthcare professionals, poor access, local conditions and legislative and regulatory policies. For example, many healthcare leaders are unaware that the Administration recently finalized a policy to waive cost-sharing for colonoscopy following stool-based testing if positive.
ASGE will collaborate on the project with healthcare facilities in Georgia and Maryland that have proven track records of working with underserved populations and that provide the full continuum of colorectal cancer care; ASGE plans to identify these facilities by the middle of the year.
ASGE will also consult with healthcare systems, physicians and allied healthcare professionals, patient navigators, legislators and regulators, state and local advocacy organizations and community leaders as well as community members.
With the potential for up to three phases over three years, the project will include education, navigation and outreach components.
“More than 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer every year, and more than 50,000 of them die from the disease,” says Dr. Christie. “The good news is that colorectal cancer has a 90 percent survival rate when it’s detected early enough, therefore this project has the real potential to save a lot of lives.”
She concludes, “ASGE’s goal is to create a roadmap that will help our most vulnerable patients navigate the process from beginning to end – including screening and, if applicable, a timely follow-up colonoscopy and treatment – and make sure they don’t fall through the cracks.”
The project is being funded with an unrestricted grant from Exact Sciences.
About Colorectal Cancer Screening
Every man and woman should be screened for colorectal cancer as soon as they turn 45 years old – even if they haven’t exhibited or experienced any problems or symptoms. There are several ways to get screened for colorectal cancer and colon polyps.
Primary care physicians and gastroenterologists can help their patients determine which colorectal cancer screening option is appropriate for them, keeping in mind that the best method varies based on one’s unique history and risk factors.
Today’s recommended colorectal cancer screening tests include colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, CT or virtual colonoscopy, fecal immunochemical (FIT) and stool MT-sDNA (Cologuard).
A patient should always get a colonoscopy if their stool test or CT scan flags any abnormalities.