A Review on Methods & Importance of Increasing FIT Testing Completion for FQHC Patients

Abstract

According to the American Cancer Society in their triannual paper on the subject, over 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) this year with over 50,000 dying from the cancer as well. As a whole, it is the third leading cause of cancer related diagnoses and deaths. In the past several decades there have been great strides in increasing testing and catching the disease in earlier, localized stages. However, this push has been uneven and there has been an observed increase in the diagnosing of later stage CRC in patients younger than 50. Additionally, these new diagnoses have had a preference of the left colon rather than right. Suggesting environmental factors playing a stronger role than common CRC causing genes such as those involved in lynch syndrome. This reaffirms the need for widespread testing of younger patients to screen for CRC, and leaves fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kits as part of a potential solution.