Colorectal Cancer Screening: Both Over- and Underused

Is colorectal cancer screening reaching older eligible patients, and is screening targeted to patients who are expected to live long enough to benefit from it? Researchers studied Veterans Affairs and Medicare claims data for a cohort of patients (age, ≥70) who had at least one outpatient visit at one of four VA medical centers and were eligible for screening (i.e., did not have colon cancer or had not had screening).

Of 27,000 patients, 46% received colorectal cancer screening (fecal occult blood testing, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, or barium enema) during a 2-year observation period. Of patients aged 70 to 74 who had no medical comorbidities, only 51% received screening. Yet, of patients aged 80 or older who had multiple comorbidities and …