The article discusses a randomized study conducted at UCLA Health in Los Angeles that aimed to evaluate different screening approaches for colorectal cancer (CRC) in the age group of 45 to 49, which is relatively new to screening guidelines. The study found that mailing unsolicited fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kits resulted in the highest screening completion rates among adults.
According to Dr. Artin Galoosian, the investigator and a gastroenterology fellow at Loma Linda University in California, the mailed FIT kits outperformed other screening methods, including offering a choice between FIT and colonoscopy, offering FIT alone, or offering colonoscopy alone. The study’s findings are significant as they address the increasing rates of CRC in individuals under 50 and the lack of formal guidance on effective screening approaches for this age group.