Risk-adjusted FIT and Lifestyle Factors for CRC Screening
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Lifestyle Risk Factors and Colorectal Cancer Screening: FIT Pilot Analysis and Development of a Risk-Adjusted Prediction Model.
IRAS ID
183928
Contact name
Jennifer Anne Cooper
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Warwick
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 17 days
Research summary
Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and the second most common cause of cancer death. Currently, screening is predominately targeted to people aged 60 to 74 in England through the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. The current screening test has a lower than optimum sensitivity (ability of the test to identify those with disease) and therefore a more recently developed test, the faecal immunochemical test or FIT, has been piloted in the UK (April to October 2014). This test has been shown to have a greater cancer detection and uptake rate. The test also provides a quantitative result of haemoglobin present in faeces, with a higher result indicating a higher risk of CRC. Another method to determine an individual’s risk of CRC is to examine different aspects of their lifestyle. Lifestyle risk factors such as smoking, alcohol intake and diet have been shown to have a significant effect on the risk of CRC; a UK study suggests that over half of CRC cases are due to these factors. This research proposes to investigate a new approach to CRC screening by combining an assessment of individual risk with the FIT result to determine whether test performance is improved. Participants aged 60 to 74 identified from the FIT pilot study will be sent a lifestyle questionnaire on a case-control basis. The FIT result from the pilot study and the questionnaire results from this study will be combined in a CRC predictive model to determine whether sensitivity is improved. A Dutch study has shown that this approach can improve sensitivity but no similar study currently exists for the UK. This approach may improve the sensitivity of the FIT, minimise false positive and negative results and ensure cost effective use of colonoscopies by referring those at greatest risk for CRC.
REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/WM/0210
Date of REC Opinion
25 May 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion