Many Older Patients Are Not Screened for Colorectal Cancer
Although colorectal cancer is prevalent in the elderly population, individuals in this age group are often not screened or followed up with, according to recent research.
Previous research has suggested that healthy adults aged 75 years and older may benefit from colorectal cancer screening. However, current guidelines for screening in this age group vary depending on the source.
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Colorectal Cancer Screening: Which Tests, How Often?
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To determine how the prevalence of screening is affected by age and health status, the researchers analyzed the medical records of 846,267 patients aged 65 to 89 years who were enrolled in 3 integrated health care systems participating in the Population-Based Research Optimizing Screening through Personalized Regimens (PROSPR) consortium from 2011 to 2012.
The researchers noted patients’ colorectal cancer screenings and whether they were followed up after abnormal fecal blood tests.
The researchers found that 72% of patients were up to date with colorectal cancer screening, and 65% of patients with a positive fecal blood test had received follow-up colonoscopy within 3 months.
Older patients (aged 76 years and older) were less likely to be up to date and less likely to receive timely follow-up than younger patients (aged 75 years and younger). Age played a larger role in being up to date, but the prevalence of comorbidities was more strongly related to timely follow-up.
“In 3 integrated healthcare systems, many older, relatively healthy patients were not screening up-to-date, and some relatively young, healthy patients did not receive timely follow-up,” the researchers concluded. “Findings suggest a need for re-evaluating age-based screening guidelines and improving screening completion among the elderly.”
—Amanda Balbi
Reference:
Klabunde CN, Zheng Y, Quinn VP, et al. Influence of age and comorbidity on colorectal cancer screening in the elderly [published online June 22, 2016]. Am J Prev Med. http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(16)30127-1/abstract.