Helping Patients and Providers Make Better Decisions About Colorectal Cancer Screening

Precision prevention holds great promise for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening but has not been adequately explored. A patient’s chance of having an advanced colorectal neoplasm (ACN), i.e. a cancer or precancerous polyp in the colon, significantly affects the comparative effectiveness of approved tests. Giving patients a decision aid with information about their risk for ACN, and giving their providers similar information, could help patients and providers decide if colonoscopy or a non-invasive test (such as the fecal immunochemical test) is more appropriate. This could improve decision making and increase uptake of CRC screening, which are the investigative team’s long-term goals.