Colon Cancer Prevention Month

In honor of Colon Cancer Awareness Month, we’ve assembled some highlights of the work being done by researchers at the UPenn PRC towards colorectal cancer prevention. We’re helping local health clinics increase colorectal screening rates by addressing barriers to screening, such as financial help for uninsured patients or training healthcare workers to follow-up with patients. #ColorectalCancer
 
  • We work with the local American Cancer Society and the Health Federation of Philadelphia (HFP), to help Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) adopt quality programs that help to increase colorectal cancer screening rates. In addition to increased rates, these programs range from financial help for uninsured clients to changing which personnel are responsible for following up with patients who need to be screened.
  • We’re contributing to an ongoing study with the Cancer Prevention & Control Research Network (CPCRN) FQHC work group, where we administered a survey and conducted interviews about implementation of evidence based interventions to increase CRC screening in FQHCs.
  • Our Community Scholars In-Residence Program matches doctoral candidates, medical students, and postdocs with community programs. They research cancer prevention and control at the community level. This project is supported by CPCRN and the Community Engagement and Research Core (CEAR Core).

Investigator Spotlight

Chyke Doubeni, MD, FRCS, MPH

Dr. Chyke Doubeni examined the barriers to screenings which provide early identification and prevention of colorectal cancer for low-income patients.

Featured Publications:

Singal AG, Corley DA, Kamineni A, Garcia M, Zheng Y, Doria-Rose PV, Quinn VP, Jensen CD, Chubak J, Tiro J, Doubeni CA, Ghai NR, Skinner CS, Wernli K, Halm EA. Patterns and predictors or repeat fecal immunochemical and occult blood test screening in four large health care systems in the United States American Journal of Gastroenterology, Feb. 2018

In a study of over 300,000 patients, Dr. Doubeni and his co-authors found factors in hospitals that are associated with whether patients complete colorectal cancer screenings in the recommended time frame. Their results suggest that screening rates increase if the hospital/clinic focuses their attention and follow-up with patients.

Peterse EFP, Meester RGS, Gini A, Doubeni CA, Anderson DS, Berger FG, Zauber AG, Lansdorp-Vogelaar I.Value Of Waiving Coinsurance For Colorectal Cancer Screening In Medicare Beneficiaries, Health Affairs (Project Hope), Dec. 2017

Dr. Doubeni and his colleagues have also modeled the potential effects of waiving coinsurance payments for Medicare patients who have colorectal cancer screening. They find that even if waiving the coinsurance raises the number of people screened by less than one percent, these measures would strike a good balance between cost and health benefits impacts.