Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Test Research Articles

The association between health literacy and colorectal cancer screening uptake in Taiwan

Abstract Background Population-based cancer screening programs have been confirmed as a cost-effective strategy for early detection of colorectal cancer, leading to reduced mortality and morbidity. In Taiwan, the government has provided an immunochemical fecal occult blood test (iFOBT) every two years to all citizens aged 50 to 74 years since 2013. The study aims to determine the association between iFOBT uptake and health literacy (HL). Methods Data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a population-based cross-sectional survey conducted in 2021-22 in Taiwan, were applied. The European Health Literacy Survey Short Form (HLS-EU-Q16), self-reported iFOBT participation within the past 2 years, and covariates assessed by face-to-face interview. The present analysis included those age-eligible for screening (n = 3,871) and applied the survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression to estimate odds of iFOBT uptake between HL skill levels, controlling for age, education attainment, socioeconomic status, health status, and household urbanicity level. Results In general, 44.6% of participants had utilized the iFOBT, and 79.9% had adequate HL skills which reported higher iFOBT uptake rates (45.9%) than their counterparts (39.4%). Multivariable analysis showed that having adequate HL was associated with greater odds of iFOBT utilization (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.79; 95% CI: 1.29-2.49). Additionally, compared to those households registered in the township, participants in higher urbanicity levels had lower iFOBT uptake: city (aOR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.47-0.82). Other predictors that contributed significantly were participants’ gender and having 2 or more chronic diseases. Conclusions Inadequate HL skills and urban residency may reduce participation in the CRC screening program, despite its free availability. More efforts should include literacy-friendly designed materials and the provision of tailored support in urban settings. Key messages • HL skills are significantly associated with the CRC screening uptake in Taiwan. Improving HL could have positive effects on people’s participation. • Urbanicity levels are also predictors associated with screening utilization. Disseminating health service information in localized ways should be a potential option.

Systematic review: Mortality associated with raised faecal immunochemical test and positive faecal occult blood results.

Faecal haemoglobin (f-Hb) testing is used in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and increasingly to guide the investigation in patients with symptoms suggestive of CRC. Studies have demonstrated increased mortality with raised f-Hb. To assess the association of raised f-Hb with all-cause, non-CRC (any cause excluding CRC) and cause-specific mortality. We searched Medline and Embase on 9 February 2024 to identify papers reporting mortality after faecal immunochemical (FIT) or guaiac faecal occult blood tests (gFOBT). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality following a positive compared to a negative test. The search identified 3155 papers. Ten met the inclusion criteria: three reported gFOBT and seven reported FIT results, as screening tests. These reported a total of 14,687,625 f-Hb results. Elevated f-Hb was associated with an increased risk of all-cause, non-CRC and cause-specific mortality including death from cardiovascular, digestive and respiratory diseases. Crude risk ratios for all-cause mortality with a positive versus negative test were derived from six papers (three reporting gFOBT, three FIT). An increased risk was demonstrated in five, with RRs ranging from 1.11 (95% CI: 1.06-1.16) to 2.95 (95% CI: 2.85-3.05). For non-CRC mortality risk, RRs ranged from 1.09 (95% CI: 1.04-1.15) to 2.79 (95% CI: 2.70-2.89). We did not perform meta-analysis due to a limited number of papers reporting suitable results for each type of f-Hb test. All-cause, non-CRC and cause-specific mortality appear higher in those with raised f-Hb. Population-based studies are warranted to elicit whether this association occurs in symptomatic patients.

A scoping review of unexpected weight loss and cancer: risk, guidelines, and recommendations for follow-up in primary care.

Cancer diagnoses often begin with consultations with general practitioners (GPs), but the nonspecific nature of symptoms can lead to delayed diagnosis. Unexpected weight loss (UWL) is a common nonspecific symptom linked to undiagnosed cancer, yet guidelines for its diagnostic assessment in general practice lack consistency. To synthesise evidence on the association between UWL and cancer diagnosis, and to review clinical guidelines and recommendations for assessing patients with UWL. Systematic search and analysis of studies conducted in primary care. Four databases searched for peer-reviewed literature from 2012 to 2023. Two reviewers conducted all the steps. A narrative review was conducted detailing the evidence for UWL as a risk factor for undiagnosed cancer, existing clinical guidance, and recommended diagnostic approach. We included 25 studies involving 916,092 patients; 92% provided strong evidence of an association between UWL and undiagnosed cancer. The National Institute for Health Care and Excellence Cancer Guideline in the UK was frequently cited. General suggestions encompassed regular weight monitoring, family history, risk factor evaluation, additional signs and symptoms, and a comprehensive physical examination. Commonly recommended pathology tests included C-reactive protein, complete blood count, alkaline phosphatase, and thyroid-stimulating hormone. Immunochemical faecal occult blood test, abdominal ultrasound, and chest X-ray were also prevalent. One large cohort study provided age, sex, and differential diagnosis-specific recommendations. This evidence review informs recommendations for investigating patients with UWL and will contribute to a computer decision support tool implementation in primary care, enhancing UWL assessment and potentially facilitating earlier cancer diagnosis.

Colorectal Cancer Screening Using Immunochemical Faecal Occult Blood test in Perak – A Cross-Sectional Study

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer in Malaysia (13.5%).1 Immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT) is known to be a newer, simpler, more sensitive, less expensive and non-invasive approach to CRC screening available.2, 3 The objectives of this study was to describe sociodemographic characteristics, prevalence of positive iFOBT tests and association between positive iFOBT tests, sociodemographic characteristics and colonoscopic findings of detecting CRC in Perak. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study, involving secondary data review of all patients screened for CRC using iFOBT in 96 government health clinics in Perak, from 1/1/2019 until 31/12/2019. Universal sampling method was used. Total of 819 patients were screened. Detailed colonoscopic findings were obtained from database in Perak State Health Department. Mean age was 62.64 (±7.37) years, 50.7% were females and 49.3% were males. Majority of respondents were Malays (57.4%) and iFOBT tests were done in urban government health clinics (67.8%). Out of 819 respondents, 3.1% obtained positive iFOBT results, majority being Malays (1.7%), females (1.6%) with age <65 years old (1.8%). Among the 3.1%, only 4 had pre-cancerous/cancerous lesion colonoscopic findings. Analysis of association between positive iFOBT results, sociodemographic characteristics and colonoscopic findings revealed no significant association between age and gender with colonoscopic findings. There was significant association between ethnicity and colonoscopic findings (p=0.037), however, only 4 tested positive. The detection rate for carcinoma is suboptimal using iFOBT test, probably due to the low numbers screened. Further strengthening of the program is needed to achieve a more favourable outcome.

Colonic diverticulosis as an isolated colonoscopy finding for iFOBT-positive patients

Colonic diverticular disease is a common medical condition throughout the world. It is one of the most common findings during the endoscopic evaluation of the colon, such as colonoscopy. A retrospective cohort single-centre study was carried out for all patients referred for colonoscopy with positive immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT) results in 2016-2018, mostly within The National Bower Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) in QLD, Australia. The cohort of 319 patients were isolated from all iFOBT-positive individuals with such finding as a diverticular disease. Colonic diverticulosis affected the patients above 43 years old with positive iFOBT, more males than females in this study. In most cases, colonoscopy consisted of benign findings, and diverticular disease was revealed in 47.7% of the patients with such indication for colonoscopy as positive iFOBT. 28.8% of the patients were diagnosed with colonic diverticulosis only. The sigmoid colon was affected by diverticulosis in 96.2% of the cases. Overall, the colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis rate of 2.7% for the patients in the positive FOBT cohort (Group A) is comparable with other studies. However, the diverticulosis group's CRC rate of 1.6% (Group B) was lower than in available published data.

Examining the Sustainability of Core Capacity and Evidence-Based Interventions for FIT-Based CRC Screening: California Colorectal Cancer Control Program.

We examined the extent to which funded satellite clinics could sustain the California Colon Cancer Control Program (C4P) strategies implemented in health systems to increase uptake of the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) or immunochemical fecal occult blood test (iFOBT) for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in the absence of future C4P funds. Seven health systems consisting of 38 satellite clinics participated in C4P to examine the sustainability of the program in the absence future Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funding. Quantitative and qualitative methods with a close and open-ended survey approach, and a prospective cohort design were used to examine the sustainability of the C4P in health systems. A total of 61% of satellite clinics could not sustain funding stability. Only 26% could sustain funding stability. About, 71%, 26%, and 21% of the satellite clinics could sustain the small media platform, patient navigation services, and community health workers (CHWs), respectively. All the satellite clinics sustained the provider reminder system and professional development. Roughly, 71% and 42% of funded satellite clinics could not sustain the patient navigators and CHWs, respectively. The satellite clinics that could sustain funding stability, sustained patient navigation services and CHWs. Health systems that could not sustain funding stability, could not sustain patient navigation services and CHWs. Qualitatively, the need to support uninsured priority populations, health educators, patient navigators, care coordination activities, outreach services, and provision of enhanced services emerged. The need to support enhanced quality measures, expansion of funding, Medi-Cal Public Hospital Redesign and Incentive coverage, health plan, community linkages, resource sharing, and best practices specifically on CRC screening emerged. Themes such as automated reminder, limited personalized care delivery and capacity, transportation barriers, staff salary, expansion of care through patient navigation, and culturally appropriate media campaign also emerged. Overall, to address sustainability barriers, funding stability should be maintained in the health systems.

Optimizing Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) Colorectal Cancer Screening Using Gut Bacteriome as a Biomarker

BackgroundColorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer mortality in the world. One of the most widely used screening tests for CRC is the immunochemical fecal occult blood test (iFOBT), which detects human hemoglobin from patient's stool sample. Although it is highly efficient in detecting blood from patients with gastro-intestinal lesions, such as polyps and cancers, the iFOBT has a high rate of false positive discovery. Recent studies suggested gut bacteria as a promising noninvasive biomarker for improving the diagnosis of CRC. In this study, we examined the composition of gut bacteria using iFOBT leftover from patients undergoing screening test along with a colonoscopy. MethodsAfter collecting data from more than 800 patients, we considered 4 groups for this study. The first and second groups were respectively “healthy” in which the patients had either no blood in their stool or had blood but no lesions. The third and fourth groups of patients had both blood in their stools with precancerous and cancerous lesions and considered either as low-grade and high-grade lesion groups, respectively. An amplification of 16S rRNA (V4 region) gene was performed, followed by sequencing along with various statistical and bioinformatic analysis. ResultsWe analyzed the composition of the gut bacteriome at phylum, class, genus, and species levels. Although members of the Firmicute phylum increased in the 3 groups compared to healthy patients, the phylum Actinobacteriota was found to decrease. Moreover, Blautia obeum and Anaerostipes hadrus from the phylum Firmicutes were increased and Collinsella aerofaciens from phylum Actinobacteriota was found decreased when healthy group is compared to the patients with high-grade lesions. Finally, among the 5 machine learning algorithms used to perform our analysis, both elastic net (AUC > 0.7) and random forest (AUC > 0.8) performs well in differentiating healthy patients from 3 other patient groups having blood in their stool. ConclusionOur study integrates the iFOBT screening tool with gut bacterial composition to improve the prediction of CRC lesions.

Canadian Landscape Assessment of Colorectal Cancer Screening during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused disruptions in colorectal cancer (CRC) care by interrupting CRC screening across Canada, posing problems for program participants, patients, and physicians and no clear understanding of how provincial healthcare systems would adapt in the face of another pandemic or shock to the system. A nationwide online survey targeted to members of the National Colorectal Cancer Screening Network (NCCSN) using the SurveyMonkey platform was conducted to gain insight into the impact of the pandemic on CRC screening from March 2020 to March 2022 across all thirteen Canadian jurisdictions. The survey included 25 multiple-choice and free-text questions. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyze the data using Microsoft Excel and NVivo software. Twenty-one provincial and territorial representatives participated in the survey conducted between 13 May 2022 and 27 October 2022. All jurisdictions (100%) reported decreased screenings, including fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) or Fecal Occult Blood testing (FOBT) procedures, and subsequent diagnostic colonoscopies. The average wait time for colonoscopies due to a positive FIT/FOBT was 76 days. To mitigate the backlog and initiate an effective intervention plan, representatives highlighted some key points, including the importance of prioritizing high-risk patients. Survey results concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted CRC screening across Canada. This landscape assessment can help inform intervention measures and policy-related solutions to create greater resilience for CRC screening in provincial and territorial healthcare systems.

Screening for Colorectal Cancer in Asymptomatic Average-Risk Adults: A Guidance Statement From the American College of Physicians (Version 2).

The purpose of this updated guidance statement is to guide clinicians on screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) in asymptomatic average-risk adults. The intended audience is all clinicians. The population is asymptomatic adults at average risk for CRC. This updated guidance statement was developed using recently published and critically appraised clinical guidelines from national guideline developers since the publication of the American College of Physicians' 2019 guidance statement, "Screening for Colorectal Cancer in Asymptomatic Average-Risk Adults." The authors searched for national guidelines from the United States and other countries published in English using PubMed and the Guidelines International Network library from 1 January 2018 to 24 April 2023. The authors also searched for updates of guidelines included in the first version of our guidance statement. The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument was used to assess the quality of eligible guidelines. Two guidelines were selected for adoption and adaptation by raters on the basis of the highest average overall AGREE II quality scores. The evidence reviews and modeling studies for these 2 guidelines were also used to synthesize the evidence of diagnostic test accuracy, effectiveness, and harms of CRC screening interventions and to develop our guidance statements. Clinicians should start screening for colorectal cancer in asymptomatic average-risk adults at age 50 years. Clinicians should consider not screening asymptomatic average-risk adults between the ages of 45 to 49 years. Clinicians should discuss the uncertainty around benefits and harms of screening in this population. Clinicians should stop screening for colorectal cancer in asymptomatic average-risk adults older than 75 years or in asymptomatic average-risk adults with a life expectancy of 10 years or less. Clinicians should select a screening test for colorectal cancer in consultation with their patient based on a discussion of benefits, harms, costs, availability, frequency, and patient values and preferences. Clinicians should select among a fecal immunochemical or high-sensitivity guaiac fecal occult blood test every 2 years, colonoscopy every 10 years, or flexible sigmoidoscopy every 10 years plus a fecal immunochemical test every 2 years as a screening test for colorectal cancer. Clinicians should not use stool DNA, computed tomography colonography, capsule endoscopy, urine, or serum screening tests for colorectal cancer.

Hot Mail: Temperature Exposure during Mail Return of an Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Test.

Fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) are widely used for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening; however, high ambient temperatures were found to reduce test accuracy. More recently, proprietary globin stabilizers were added to FIT sample buffers to prevent temperature-associated hemoglobin (Hb) degradation, but their effectiveness remains uncertain. We aimed to determine the impact of high temperature (>30°C) on OC-Sensor FIT Hb concentration with current FITs, characterize FIT temperatures during mail transit, and determine impact of ambient temperature on FIT Hb concentration using data from a CRC screening program. FITs were analyzed for Hb concentration after in vitro incubation at different temperatures. Data loggers packaged alongside FITs measured temperatures during mail transit. Separately, screening program participants completed and mailed FITs to the laboratory for Hb analysis. Regression analyses compared the impact of environmental variables on FIT temperatures and separately on FIT sample Hb concentration. In vitro incubation at 30 to 35°C reduced FIT Hb concentration after >4 days. During mail transit, maximum FIT temperature averaged 6.4°C above maximum ambient temperature, but exposure to temperature above 30°C was for less than 24 hours. Screening program data showed no association between FIT Hb concentration and maximum ambient temperatures. Although FIT samples are exposed to elevated temperatures during mail transit, this is brief and does not significantly reduce FIT Hb concentration. These data support continuation of CRC screening during warm weather with modern FITs with a stabilizing agent when mail delivery is ≤4 days.

Engaging lower screening groups: a field experiment to evaluate the impact of a multiwave national campaign on participation in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program

ObjectivesThis field study evaluated a multiwave media campaign that aired in 2019 to promote participation in the Australian National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP), which provides free biennial mailed-out immunochemical...

A multicenter, case-control study of a novel multi-target fecal DNA test for colorectal cancer detection.

26 Background: Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most frequently occurring cancer and is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Early detection and diagnosis of pre-cancer lesions and CRCs at curable stages could prevent the disease or improve patient survival. Colonoscopy, the current gold-standard approach for CRC screening, is an invasive procedure, and novel non-invasive alternatives are needed. Methods: In present study, we developed a novel multi-target fecal DNA based assay, which integrates detection of two stool DNA (sDNA) methylation markers by quantitative methylation-specific PCR (qMSP) and immunochemical fecal occult blood test. We performed a multi-center case-control study to validate the diagnostic performance of this novel multi-target assay. Thus far, we collected stool specimens from a total of 784 subjects including CRC, advanced adenoma, nonadvanced neoplasms and individuals with negative findings on colonoscopy from six sites across China. All participants underwent colonoscopy; the stool specimens were tested with the multi-target fecal DNA test as well as a quantitative FIT test (OC FIT-CHEK, Eiken) in parallel in order to perform head-to-head comparison of the test performance of both assays. Results: The multi-target fecal DNA test demonstrated a higher sensitivity (96.1%) than FIT (85.3%) for CRCs (n=204). Meanwhile, 20 of 39 (51.3%) patients with advanced adenoma tested positive by the fecal DNA test, which was remarkably superior to FIT (7 of 39 tested positive, 17.9%). Among 541 participants with nonadvanced neoplasms or negative findings on colonoscopy, the specificity of the DNA test was 86.9%, compared with a specificity of 93.1% achieved by FIT. Within the control group, the DNA test and FIT yielded a specificity of 90.5% and 94.9% respectively for individuals with negative results on colonoscopy. Conclusions: The novel multi-target fecal DNA test exhibited notably superior sensitivity for both CRC and advanced adenoma cases than the commercially quantitative FIT test, while sacrificing some specificity. Our results suggest that this novel multi-target fecal based test may be used as an effective tool for early detection and pre-screening of CRC. Prospective study will be conducted to further evaluate the clinical performance and cost-effectiveness of this assay.

Implementation of a home-based colorectal cancer screening intervention in Malaysia (CRC-SIM)

IntroductionThe Colorectal Cancer Screening Intervention for Malaysia (CRC-SIM) was a CRC study of home-based testing designed to improve low screening uptake using the immunochemical fecal occult blood test (iFOBT) in Malaysia.MethodsThis quasi-experimental study was informed by the Implementation Research Logic Model and evaluated with the RE-AIM framework. Trained data collectors recruited by phone, randomly selected, asymptomatic adults aged 50-75 years from Segamat District, who previously completed a health census form for the South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO). Participants were posted an iFOBT kit and asked to return a photo of the completed test for screening by health care professionals. A regression analysis of evaluation data was conducted to identify which variables were associated with the outcome indicators of ‘study participation’ and ‘iFOBT completion’ and the CRC-SIM was evaluated in terms of its appropriateness, feasibility and acceptability.ResultsSeven hundred forty-seven eligible adults (52%) agreed to participate in this study and received an iFOBT kit. Participation was significantly lower amongst Chinese Malaysians (adjusted OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.35 - 0.59, p<0.001) compared to Malays and amongst participants from the rural sub-district (Gemereh) (adjusted OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.54 - 0.92, p=0.011) compared to the urban sub-district (Sungai Segamat). Less than half of participants (42%, n=311/747) completed the iFOBT. Test-kit completion was significantly higher amongst Chinese Malaysians (adjusted OR 3.15, 95% CI 2.11 - 4.69, p<0.001) and lower amongst participants with a monthly household income ≥RM 4,850 (adjusted OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.39 - 0.87, p=0.009) compared to participants with a lower household income. The main reported reason for non-participation was ‘not interested’ (58.6%) and main implementation challenges related to invalid photographs from participants and engaging iFOBT positive participants in further clinic consultations and procedures.ConclusionHome-testing for CRC (test completion) appeared to be acceptable to only around one-fifth of the target population in Malaysia. However, mindful of the challenging circumstances surrounding the pandemic, the CRC-SIM merits consideration by public health planners as a method of increasing screening in Malaysia, and other low- and middle-income countries.

Colonoscopies in Australia – how much does the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program contribute to colonoscopy use?

Objectives and importance of study: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is Australia’s fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer. CRC screening is an effective intervention to reduce this burden. The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) provides 2-yearly immunochemical faecal occult blood tests (iFOBTs) to Australians aged 50–74 years; a diagnostic colonoscopy is conducted after a positive iFOBT. Clinical guidelines inform colonoscopy usage, and appropriate use of these guidelines is vital to investigate gastrointestinal symptoms, detect bowel abnormalities and CRC, and remove precancerous polyps. Colonoscopy services are under strain, with limited formal strategies to prioritise patients. There are concerns among practitioners and patient advocates that the NBCSP generates additional colonoscopy requests and increases wait times, worsening patient outcomes and prolonging distress. In this research study, we estimate and project colonoscopy use in Australia from 2001 to 2030 and determine the impact of the NBCSP by examining model-estimated NBCSP colonoscopy demand. Methods: Colonoscopy use in Australia was compiled using Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) claims for colonoscopies from 2001 to 2019. From these data, projections were made from 2020 to 2030. Policy1-Bowel, a microsimulation model, was used to estimate NBCSP-related colonoscopy demand from screening follow-up and colonoscopic surveillance from 2006 to 2030. Results: MBS-funded colonoscopy use increased from 284 676 in 2001 to 663 213 in 2019. Annual use is projected to be more than 780 000 by 2030. Of these, 10–14% are projected to be generated by the NBCSP. Per-capita MBS-funded colonoscopy utilisation increased 0.2% annually over 2015–2019, a slowing of growth compared to previous trends. Conclusion: The NBCSP accounts for a modest fraction of colonoscopy use in Australia, and a better understanding of colonoscopy use not associated with the NBCSP is needed. Promoting adherence to guideline-recommended iFOBT and colonoscopy use could ease pressure on services and improve outcomes.

Improving colonoscopy prioritisation and promoting the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program: keys to reducing bowel cancer burden.

Australia's National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) has the potential to prevent almost 84 000 bowel cancer deaths if 60% program participation rates could be reached and maintained over the next two decades. Immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT) is used as an initial screening tool. Participants who test positive are referred for colonoscopy for diagnostic assessment. Concerns about colonoscopy capacity and lengthy wait times between positive iFOBT and colonoscopy have hampered efforts to promote the program. However, a separate research paper published in this issue of PHRP shows that only an estimated 10-14% of Medicare-funded colonoscopies (almost 75% of all colonoscopies) in Australia are generated by the NBCSP. Inappropriate use of colonoscopy as a primary screening tool and failure to prioritise NBCSP participants may be the main reasons for long colonoscopy wait times associated with the program. Promoting clinical practice guidelines, and the Direct Access Colonoscopy initiative for priority patients, are key to reducing colonoscopy wait times and proactive promotion of the NBCSP.

Facilitators and barriers to colorectal cancer screening using the immunochemical faecal occult blood test among an average-risk population in semi-rural Malaysia: A qualitative study.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence in Malaysia is increasing, and most CRC patients are diagnosed at a late stage. This study investigated participant awareness of CRC and their perceptions and views about CRC screening, barriers, benefits, and facilitators towards CRC screening participation as well as health-seeking behaviour and the use of preventative health services. Eleven focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with a purposive sample of 89 participants aged > 50 from the major ethnic groups in the Segamat District, Johor State. FGDs were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. We identified trust in doctors as a key reason for whether or not to seek health care. Generally, the participants had low awareness of CRC sign/symptoms and screening. Emotional and logistic concerns about sending a stool sample to a clinic emerged as the main barriers to screening. Simplified illustrated instructions about stool collection in Malay, Chinese and Tamil, free screening at health clinics and reminders to complete the iFOBT test were perceived to facilitate engagement in screening, and posited as strategies that were likely to increase iFOBT uptake. Primary care physicians play a crucial role in terms of reducing patient's misperceptions, recommending screening to patients, enhancing attendance, and improving uptake of CRC screening. There is a need for further research to investigate ways in which to reduce identified barriers and implement and test potential facilitative strategies as well as examine adherence by doctors to clinical guidelines about CRC screening.

Colonoscopies in Australia - how much does the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program contribute to colonoscopy use?

Colonoscopy use in Australia was compiled using Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) claims for colonoscopies from 2001 to 2019. From these data, projections were made from 2020 to 2030. Policy1-Bowel, a microsimulation model, was used to estimate NBCSP-related colonoscopy demand from screening follow-up and colonoscopic surveillance from 2006 to 2030. MBS-funded colonoscopy use increased from 284 676 in 2001 to 663 213 in 2019. Annual use is projected to be more than 780 000 by 2030. Of these, 10-14% are projected to be generated by the NBCSP. Per-capita MBS-funded colonoscopy utilisation increased 0.2% annually over 2015-2019, a slowing of growth compared to previous trends. The NBCSP accounts for a modest fraction of colonoscopy use in Australia, and a better understanding of colonoscopy use not associated with the NBCSP is needed. Promoting adherence to guideline-recommended iFOBT and colonoscopy use could ease pressure on services and improve outcomes.

Spike in peptic ulcer disease in pregnancy in a rural community of Enugu state, southeast Nigeria: is this an epidemic?

Background: Pregnancy is said to increase susceptibility to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, probably due to decreased cell-mediated cytotoxic immune response. Despite this, evidence from epidemiological studies suggest an alleviation of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) during pregnancy. One study found the incidence of PUD among pregnant women to be as low as 0.005-0.03%. The present study aimed to determine the incidence of PUD in women who attended ante-natal clinic in Cottage Hospital Inyi, Oji River Local Government Area (LGA), Enugu State, in 2021.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted with 435 pregnant women, aged 18- 40 years in 2021 in Inyi, Oji River LGA of Enugu State, Southeast Nigeria. Through purposeful sampling, 57 women were selected. From each of these patients, a stool sample was collected and examined using immunochemical fecal occult blood test. A horizontal line on the test strip signified a positive result, while its absence negative result. Data were analysed as proportion and Chi- square using MaxStat (version 3.6) statistical software. P value ≤0.05 was considered significant.Results: The incidence of PUD in the pregnant women was 13%; 4.8% in primigravidae, and 8.2% in multigravidae. The association between PUD and parity was not significant (p value =0.89).Conclusions: The incidence of PUD in pregnancy (13%) was much higher than ever had been reported in the past, being slightly higher in multigravidae than primigravidae. Health education on lifestyle modification and environmental sanitation could help in tackling this problem.

Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Test Screening Results prior to Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis

Abstract Introduction/Objective Immunochemical fecal occult blood testing (iFOBT) is one of the options outlined by the standard of care guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) for screening for colorectal cancer in adults. The iFOBT assay is a convenient and reasonably accurate screening assay. It has been shown in the literature, through a metanalysis of iFOBT tests, that the overall sensitivity of iFOBT in the general population for detecting colorectal cancer within 2 years of follow-up across different medical settings is 0.79 (95% confidence interval 0.69-0.86). However, similar investigation in the veteran population is sparse, but would be important given the significant differences between the Veteran population and the general population including increased medical comorbidities. Methods/Case Report A search of all iFOBT testing performed at a regional Veteran Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) from 10/1/2018 to 6/4/2022 was performed to identify patients with both diagnosed colorectal cancer by pathology examination and iFOBT testing within 2 years prior to this diagnosis. The iFOBT result (at least one positive prior to diagnosis or always negative) prior to diagnosis with colorectal cancer was recorded once per patient. iFOBT results collected after the day the positive colorectal pathology specimen was obtained were excluded. Demographic information was also recorded. iFOBT testing was performed using the Polymedco assay product (Cortlandt Manor, NY). Results (if a Case Study enter NA) There were a total of 26 patients (25 males and 1 female) with diagnosed colorectal cancer. The patient age range was 37 to 88 years (average 70) with an ethnic composition of 12 of 26 (46%) African Americans, 13 of 26 (50%) Caucasian American, and 1 of 26 (4%) Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander American. 20 of the 26 patients (77%) of the patients had at least one positive iFOBT test result prior to their colorectal cancer diagnosis, which is within the published observation for the accepted sensitivity in the general population. Conclusion While there are differences between the general population and the veteran population in terms of medical comorbidities, the iFOBT test assay performed similarly to the general population in terms of sensitivity for colorectal cancer diagnosed within 2 years of the iFOBT assay and remains an important part of the standard of care for colorectal screening for both populations.

Je možné individualizovat vysazení antikoagulační terapie před preventivní koloskopií?

Summary: Background: Hot-snare polypectomy is a standard method for removal of polyps larger than 10 mm. It is recommended to discontinue anticoagulant therapy before this procedure to reduce a bleeding risk. In contrast, diagnostic colonoscopy and cold-snare polypectomy up to 10 mm are considered safe during uninterrupted anticoagulation therapy (with only omission of the direct oral anticoagulant therapy on the day of the procedure). The increasing number of anticoagulated individuals undergoing a colorectal cancer screening program leads to efforts to individualize the interruption of anticoagulation therapy. Aim: Estimation of probability that adenomatous polyp over 10 mm is detected during preventive colonoscopy in the Czech Republic in particular population groups according to gender and age. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from prospective database (Registry of Preventive Colonoscopies) covering screening colonoscopies and colonoscopies indicated for immunochemical faecal occult blood test positivity (FIT-positive). A distinction was made between adenoma polyps ≤10 mm and &gt;10 mm. The patient was categorized according to the largest polyp diameter in case of detection of multiple polyps. Results: Between 2016 and 2020, 16,942 and 52,052 adenomatous polyps were found during 55,546 screenings and 119,229 FIT-positive colonoscopies, representing adenoma detection rate (ADR) of 31% and 44%, respectively. The estimate of probability of significant polyp detection (over 10 mm) and the need of hot-snare polypectomy ranged widely (2.3–21.6%) depending on age, sex and indication. It can be estimated to 7% in females and 5–10% in males undergoing screening colonoscopy. For colonoscopies indicated for positive stools for occult bleeding, this probability is approximately two to three times higher in FIT-positive colonoscopies: it exceeds 10% in woman over 60 years of age and is 15% and more in men of all ages (over 20% in men over 60 years of age). Conclusions: The decision to discontinue anticoagulation therapy prior to preventive colonoscopy can be individualized with respect to the indication (screening vs. FIT-positive), age and gender of examined person – we prefer to discontinue the anticoagulation therapy in FIT-positive people over 60 years and/or of male gender. The individual thromboembolic risk during interruption of anticoagulation therapy must be considered depending on the specific indication (e. g. CHA2DS2 VASc score in atrial fibrillation). Key words: colonoscopy – anticoagulant therapy – direct-acting oral anticoagulants – cancer screening – personalized medicine