Rachel Ramoni named director of Kaiser Permanente Division of Research
New leader has spent last 8 years as head of research for Veterans Affairs.
New leader has spent last 8 years as head of research for Veterans Affairs.
KP Research Radio takes a look at new study findings that can help older adults and their physicians determine when to stop colorectal cancer surveillance.
A previous cancer diagnosis can preclude patients from consideration for solid organ transplantation. Statistical models may improve candidate selection. We fitted statistical cure models and estimated five-year cancer-specific survival (5yCSS) for colorectal cancer patients in the United States using registry…
Despite increased recognition that structural racism contributes to poorer health outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities, there are knowledge gaps about how current patterns of racial residential segregation are associated with cancer screening uptake. The authors examined associations between Black…
An analysis of Kaiser Permanente patients in California found a 33% reduced risk of dying of colorectal cancer for those taking at least one fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening.
The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is widely used for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, but evidence of its effectiveness is limited. To evaluate whether FIT screening is associated with a lower risk of dying from CRC overall, according to cancer location,…
Identification of those at risk of hereditary cancer syndromes using electronic health record (EHR) data sources is important for clinical care, quality improvement, and research. We describe diagnostic processes, previously seldom reported, for a common hereditary cancer syndrome, Lynch syndrome…
In 2019, a BMJ Rapid Recommendation advised against colorectal cancer (CRC) screening for adults with a predicted 15-year CRC risk below 3%. Using Switzerland as a case study, we estimated the population-level impact of this recommendation. We predicted the CRC…
Organized screening outreach can reduce differences in colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality between demographic subgroups. Outcomes associated with additional outreach, beyond universal outreach, are not well known. To compare CRC screening completion by race and ethnicity, age, and sex…
Postpolypectomy surveillance is a common colonoscopy indication in older adults; however, guidelines provide little direction on when to stop surveillance in this population. To estimate surveillance colonoscopy yields in older adults. This population-based cross-sectional study included individuals 70 to 85…
Kaiser Permanente study highlights success of its clinical pathway that refers only patients whose obstetrical screening ultrasound shows a fetal cardiac abnormality for a fetal echocardiogram.
The National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, selected Kaiser Permanente Northern California as one of the institutions to launch a new national clinical trials network to evaluate emerging technologies for cancer screening.
Colonoscopy surveillance guidelines categorize individuals as high or low risk for future colorectal cancer (CRC) based primarily on their prior polyp characteristics, but the approach is imprecise, and consideration of other risk factors may improve post-polypectomy risk stratification. Among patients…
Modeling supporting recommendations for colonoscopy and stool-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening tests assumes 100% sequential participant adherence. The impact of observed adherence on the long-term effectiveness of screening is unknown. We evaluated the effectiveness of a program of screening-colonoscopy every…
Guidelines now recommend patients with low-risk adenomas receive colonoscopy surveillance in 7-10 years and those with the previously recommended 5-year interval be reevaluated. We tested three outreach approaches for transitioning patients to the 10-year interval recommendation. Design: 3-arm pragmatic randomized…
Understanding the relative contributions of SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced and vaccine-induced seroprevalence is key to measuring overall population-level seroprevalence and help guide policy decisions. Using a series of six population-based cross-sectional surveys conducted among persons aged ≥7 years in a large health…
Demand for surveillance colonoscopy can sometimes exceed capacity, such as during and following the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, yet no tools exist to prioritize the patients most likely to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) among those awaiting surveillance colonoscopy…
There are minimal recent population-based data on the epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in the United States. This retrospective cohort study evaluated H. pylori positivity rates in adult members of a large, community-based US population in 2000-2019. Time trends, demographic disparities,…
Population models of cancer reflect the overall US population by drawing on numerous existing data resources for parameter inputs and calibration targets. Models require data inputs that are appropriately representative, collected in a harmonized manner, have minimal missing or inaccurate…
Polygenic risk scores (PRS) have great potential to guide precision colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention by identifying those at higher risk to undertake targeted screening. However, current PRS using European ancestry data have sub-optimal performance in non-European ancestry populations, limiting their…
Endoscopist adenoma detection rates (ADRs) vary widely and are associated with patients' risk of postcolonoscopy colorectal cancers (PCCRCs). However, few scalable physician-directed interventions demonstrably both improve ADR and reduce PCCRC risk. Among patients undergoing colonoscopy, we evaluated the influence of…
Incidence of and mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC) can be effectively reduced by screening with the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) or colonoscopy. Individual risk to develop CRC within 15 years varies from 15% among people aged 50 to 75 years…
This study will evaluate the colorectal cancer screening continuum — tests, screening quality, follow-up care, and health outcomes — over a 20-year time period that covers before, during, and after implementation of an organized colorectal cancer screening at KPNC and…
Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is universally recommended for adults ages 45-75 years. Noninvasive fecal occult blood tests are effective screening tests recommended by guidelines. However, empirical evidence to inform older adults' decisions about whether to continue screening is sparse, especially…
Learning health systems require rapid-cycle research and nimble implementation processes to maximize innovation across disparate specialties and operations. Existing detailed research-to-implementation frameworks require extensive time commitments and can be overwhelming for physician-researchers with clinical and operational responsibilities, inhibiting their widespread…
Kaiser Permanente reports findings from the first large community-based study in the U.S. to assess the effect of H. pylori treatment on stomach cancer incidence.
High-quality data regarding the effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication on the risk of noncardia gastric adenocarcinoma (NCGA) remain limited in the United States. We investigated the incidence of NCGA after H pylori eradication therapy in a large, community-based US population…
Multiple quality metrics have been recommended to ensure consistent, high-quality execution of screening tests for breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung cancers. However, minimal data exist evaluating the evidence base supporting these recommendations and the consistency of definitions and concepts included within…
Reproducibility of cervical biopsy diagnoses is low and may vary based on where the diagnostic test is performed and by whom. Our objective was to measure multilevel variation in diagnoses across colposcopists, pathologists, and laboratory facilities. We cross-sectionally examined variation…
Previous studies on the cost-effectiveness of personalized colorectal cancer (CRC) screening were based on hypothetical performance of CRC risk prediction and did not consider the association with competing causes of death. In this study, we estimated the cost-effectiveness of risk-stratified…
Polygenic risk scores (PRS) which summarize individuals' genetic risk profile may enhance targeted colorectal cancer screening. A critical step towards clinical implementation is rigorous external validations in large community-based cohorts. This study externally validated a PRS-enhanced colorectal cancer risk model…
Potential care gaps in the cervical cancer screening process among women diagnosed with cervical cancer in an era with increased human papillomavirus (HPV) testing have not been extensively evaluated. Women diagnosed with cervical cancer between ages 21 and 65 at…
Recent research has demonstrated biologic plausibility for iatrogenic tumor seeding via colonoscopy as a cause of metachronous colorectal cancers (CRC). This study evaluated the association between biopsy of non-tumor sites after CRC biopsy and risk of metachronous CRC in a…
Polygenic risk scores (PRS) have great potential to guide precision colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention by identifying those at higher risk to undertake targeted screening. However, current PRS using European ancestry data have sub-optimal performance in non-European ancestry populations, limiting their…
Few empirical data are available to inform older adults' decisions about whether to screen or continue screening for colorectal cancer based on their prior history of screening, particularly among individuals with a prior negative exam. Using a retrospective cohort of…
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. We conducted a genome-wide association study meta-analysis of 100,204 CRC cases and 154,587 controls of European and east Asian ancestry, identifying 205 independent risk associations, of which 50 were unreported…
Limited sample size, incomplete measures, and inadequate risk adjustment adversely influence accurate health care quality measurements, surgical quality measurements, and accurate comparisons among hospitals. Since these measures are linked to resources for quality improvement and reimbursement, improving the accuracy of…
Cancer screening should be recommended only when the balance between benefits and harms is favorable. This review evaluated how U.S. cancer screening guidelines reported harms, within and across organ-specific processes to screen for cancer. To describe current reporting practices and…
Up to one of every six individuals diagnosed with one cancer will be diagnosed with a second primary cancer in their lifetime. Genetic factors contributing to the development of multiple primary cancers, beyond known cancer syndromes, have been underexplored. To…
Over 20 susceptibility single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) have been identified for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and its precursor, Barrett esophagus (BE), explaining a small portion of heritability. Using genetic data from 4,323 BE and 4,116 EAC patients aggregated by international consortia including…
Several U.S. organizations now recommend starting average-risk colorectal cancer screening at age 45 years, but the prevalence of colonic neoplasia in individuals younger than 50 years has not been well characterized. We used a national endoscopic registry to calculate age-stratified…
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected clinical services globally, including colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and diagnostic testing. We investigated the pandemic's impact on fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening, colonoscopy utilization, and colorectal neoplasia detection across 21 medical centers in a large…
Cancer screening is a complex process involving multiple steps and levels of influence (e.g., patient, provider, facility, health care system, community, or neighborhood). We describe the design, methods, and research agenda of the Population-based Research to Optimize the Screening Process…
The effectiveness and efficiency of cancer screening in real-world settings depend on many factors, including test sensitivity and specificity. Outside of select experimental studies, not everyone receives a gold standard test that can serve as a comparator in estimating screening…
The incidence of and risk factors for severe clinical outcomes with the Omicron (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 variant have not been well-defined. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to assess risks of severe clinical outcomes within 21 days after SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis in…
Although colonoscopy is frequently performed in the United States, there is limited evidence to support threshold values for physician adenoma detection rate as a quality metric. To evaluate the association between physician adenoma detection rate values and risks of postcolonoscopy…
Global efforts are needed to elucidate the epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the underlying cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including seroprevalence, risk factors, and long-term sequelae, as well as immune responses after vaccination across populations…
Kaiser Permanente clinical research finds patients who have a site biopsied after a suspected cancer is biopsied are not more likely to develop a second cancer.
Despite studies showing improved safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of endoscopic resection for nonmalignant colorectal polyps, colectomy rates for nonmalignant colorectal polyps have been increasing in the United States and Europe. Given this alarming trend, we aimed to investigate whether colectomy…
The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) among individuals aged younger than 50 years has been increasing. As screening guidelines lower the recommended age of screening initiation, concerns including the burden on screening capacity and costs have been recognized, suggesting that an…
Regional program eliminated disparities in colorectal cancer death rates between Black and white members in Kaiser Permanente Northern California.
In the initial phase of this study, we will manually review patients for eligibility for initial contact; complete a patient identification and tracking database; and develop and submit supplemental electronic IRB/email consent documents.
To evaluate whether limited participation in life activities is associated with quality of life (QOL) in rectal cancer survivors, and if so, whether this association is independent of bowel function difficulties. We surveyed rectal cancer survivors from four healthcare systems…
Programmatic colorectal cancer (CRC) screening increases uptake, but the design and resources utilized for such models are not well known. We characterized program components and participation at each step in a large program that used mailed fecal immunochemical testing (FIT)…
COVID-19 has proved enormously disruptive to the provision of cancer screening, which does not just represent an initial test but an entire process, including risk detection, diagnostic follow-up, and treatment. Successful delivery of services at all points in the process…
The longitudinal risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) associated with subtypes of serrated polyps (SPs) remains incompletely understood. This community-based, case-control study included 317 178 Kaiser Permanente Northern California members who underwent their first colonoscopy during 2006-2016. Nested within this population,…
The Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) Early detection Screening (HES) algorithm has been proposed to improve the performance of the serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test in surveillance for HCC. The HES algorithm incorporates data on age, level of alanine aminotransferase, platelet count, and…
To examine whether receiving a fecal occult blood test after a negative sigmoidoscopy reduced mortality from colorectal cancer. We used a nested case-control design with incidence-density matching in historical cohorts of 1,877,740 50-90-year-old persons during 2006-2012, in an integrated health-system…
Guidelines suggest screening of individuals who are at increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Tools for identifying patients at risk of Barrett's esophagus have been validated. Here, we aimed to compare and validate the tools for the primary outcomes of…
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and its precursor, Barrett's esophagus (BE), have uncovered significant genetic components of risk, but most heritability remains unexplained. Targeted assessment of genetic variation in biologically relevant pathways using novel analytical approaches may…
The Association of American Physicians announced it has inducted Kaiser Permanente research scientist and gastroenterologist Douglas Corley, MD, PhD, MPH, into its honorary medical society.
Lynch syndrome (LS) is the most common type of hereditary colorectal cancer (CRC) syndrome caused by pathogenic variants in mismatch repair (MMR) genes.1 Current multisociety guidelines recommend screening all CRC tumors for LS.2,3 The most widely adopted screening method is…
Even distinct cancer types share biological hallmarks. Here, we investigate polygenic risk score (PRS)-specific pleiotropy across 16 cancers in European ancestry individuals from the Genetic Epidemiology Research on Adult Health and Aging cohort (16,012 cases, 50,552 controls) and UK Biobank…
Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) and its premalignant lesion, Barrett's esophagus (BE), are characterized by a strong and yet unexplained male predominance (with a male-to-female ratio in EA incidence of up to 6:1). Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 20…
Three Kaiser Permanente physicians have joined The Permanente Medical Group Physician Researcher Program, which allows them to continue their clinical work while pursuing specific research projects.
Some guidelines recommend starting colorectal cancer (CRC) screening before age 50 years for African Americans, but there are few data on screening uptake and yield in this population. We performed a prospective study of fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening among…
Follow-up of chest CT scan findings suspicious for lung cancer may be delayed because of inadequate documentation. Standardized reporting and follow-up may reduce time to diagnosis and care for lung cancer. We implemented a reporting system that standardizes tagging of…
Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) occurs most frequently in men. We performed a Mendelian randomization analysis to investigate whether genetic factors that regulate levels of sex hormones are associated with risk of EAC or Barrett's esophagus (BE). We conducted a Mendelian randomization…
Researchers with Kaiser Permanente are launching a study using blood tests for antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus to estimate the prevalence and incidence of COVID-19 disease in Northern California and explore whether antibodies confer protection from recurrent disease.
Deciphering the shared genetic basis of distinct cancers has the potential to elucidate carcinogenic mechanisms and inform broadly applicable risk assessment efforts. Here, we undertake genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and comprehensive evaluations of heritability and pleiotropy across 18 cancer types…
Accurate colorectal cancer (CRC) risk prediction models are critical for identifying individuals at low and high risk of developing CRC, as they can then be offered targeted screening and interventions to address their risks of developing disease (if they are…
Serrated polyp (SPs) are precursors to 20% to 30% of cases of colorectal tumors, but patients' long-term risk after removal of SPs is poorly understood. We investigated the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in individuals with a history of SPs…
The calculation of quality of care measures based on electronic medical records (EMRs) may be inaccurate because of incomplete capture of past services. We evaluate the influence of different statistical approaches for calculating the proportion of patients who are up-to-date…
Azithromycin is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics in the US. It has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death in some observational studies. To estimate the relative and absolute risks of cardiovascular and sudden cardiac death…
Approximately 30%-40% of screening-eligible adults in the United States are not up to date with colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. We aimed to validate a predictive score, generated by a machine learning algorithm with common laboratory test data, to identify patients…
This is a non-inferiority trial design comparing colorectal cancer incidence in trial participants with 1-2 non-advanced adenomas randomized to recommendation for a 5- and 10-year surveillance colonoscopy exam vs. a 10-year surveillance colonoscopy exam.
As more states legalize cannabis for medical and recreational use, people increasingly use cannabis to treat medical conditions and associated symptoms. The prevalence and utility of cannabis for cancer-related symptoms may be clarified by examining cannabis use among patients with…
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly used for gastrointestinal disorders; given they increase the systemic levels of gastrin, a trophic hormone, there is a concern about their carcinogenicity. This study evaluated the association between PPI use and gastrointestinal cancers. We…
Early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC, in persons younger than 50 years old) is increasing in incidence; yet, in the absence of a family history of CRC, this population lacks harmonized recommendations for prevention. We aimed to determine whether a polygenic risk…
The long-term risks of colorectal cancer (CRC) and CRC-related death following adenoma removal are uncertain. Data are needed to inform evidence-based surveillance guidelines, which vary in follow-up recommendations for some polyp types. Using data from a large, community-based integrated health…
Cancer screening is a complex process encompassing risk assessment, the initial screening examination, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment of cancer precursors or early cancers. Metrics that enable comparisons across different screening targets are needed. We present population-based screening metrics for breast,…
Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality can be reduced by effective screening and/or treatment. However, the influence of health care systems on disparities among insured patients is largely unexplored. To evaluate insured patients with CRC diagnosed between 2010 and 2014…
There are limited data on the incidence of cardiovascular disease among cancer patients in the pre-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) era. Such data are important in order to contextualize the incidence of various cardiovascular outcomes among cancer patients enrolled in clinical…
Quantitative fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) for hemoglobin are commonly used for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. We aimed to quantify the change in CRC and advanced adenoma detection and number of positive test results at different positivity thresholds and by sex…
Diabetes is positively associated with various cancers, but its relationship with tumors of the esophagus/esophagogastric junction remains unclear. Data were harmonized across 13 studies in the International Barrett's and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Consortium, comprising 2309 esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) cases, 1938 esophagogastric…
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) incidence is higher among black than white Americans. The reasons for this disparity remain unclear. We calculated race- and sex-specific population attributable risk percentages (PAR%) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) for hypertension and chronic kidney…
Rates of surgery for nonmalignant colorectal polyps are increasing in the United States despite evidence that most polyps can be managed endoscopically. We aimed to determine nationally representative estimates and to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality and morbidity after surgery…
Recent 15-year updates of sigmoidoscopy screening trials provide new evidence on the effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening. Prompted by the new evidence, we asked: "Does colorectal cancer screening make an important difference to health outcomes in individuals initiating screening at…
Epidemiology studies of circulating concentrations of 25 hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) and risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) have produced conflicting results. We conducted a Mendelian randomization study to determine the associations between circulating concentrations of 25(OH)D and risks of EAC…
To evaluate health care systems for the availability of population-level data on the frequency of use and results of clinical molecular marker tests to inform precision cancer care. We assessed cancer-related molecular marker test data availability across 12 US health…
Despite the importance of characterizing colonoscopy indication for quality monitoring and cancer screening program evaluation, there is no standard approach to documenting colonoscopy indication in medical records. We applied two algorithms in three health care systems to assign colonoscopy indication…
Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through surveillance reduces mortality associated with this cancer. Guidelines recommend HCC surveillance every 6 months for patients with cirrhosis, via ultrasonography, with or without measurement of serum level of alpha fetoprotein (AFP). We previously developed…
Guidelines recommend screening all patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer (CRC) for Lynch syndrome (LS). However, the efficiency of universal LS screening in elderly populations has not been well studied. To compare the performance of age-restricted and universal LS screening…
As people with HIV (PWH) live longer, age-appropriate colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is increasingly important. Limited data exist on CRC screening and outcomes comparing PWH and persons without HIV. Large integrated health care system. This study included PWH and demographically…
Our objective was to describe differences in treatment patterns and survival between early-onset ( 12 lymph nodes examined (OR 1.60, CI 1.37-1.87), to receive systemic therapy (chemotherapy or immunotherapy) within 6 months of diagnosis (OR 2.84, CI 2.40-3.37), and to have a…
The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that patients with Medicaid insurance or Medicaid-like coverage would have longer times to follow-up and be less likely to complete colonoscopy compared with patients with commercial insurance within the same…
As part of a K training award, and within our overall colorectal cancer research program, this award will support additional analyses regarding the identification of persons at high hereditary risk for colorectal cancer (e.g., Lynch syndrome) and their use of…
The Cancer Research Network (CRN) is a consortium of 12 research groups, each affiliated with a nonprofit integrated health care delivery system, that was first funded in 1998. The overall goal of the CRN is to support and facilitate collaborative…
Little is known about the effect of evolving risk-based cervical cancer screening and management guidelines on United States (US) clinical practice and patient outcomes. We describe the National Cancer Institute's Population-based Research Optimizing Screening through Personalized Regimens (PROSPR I) consortium,…
The effectiveness of fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening for colorectal cancer depends on timely colonoscopy follow-up of positive tests, although limited data exist regarding effective system-level strategies for improving follow-up rates. Using a mixed-methods design (qualitative and quantitative), we first…
Guidelines recommend a 10-year rescreening interval after a colonoscopy with normal findings (negative colonoscopy results), but evidence supporting this recommendation is limited. To examine the long-term risks of colorectal cancer and colorectal cancer deaths after a negative colonoscopy result, in…
Genetic risk and family history, which includes personal medical history, increasingly influence medical care, but optimal methods for capturing the hereditary risk of disease and the outcomes of such assessments are unknown. Using inherited cancer as a model, this study…
To reduce colorectal cancer incidence and mortality, experts recommend surveillance colonoscopy 3 years after advanced adenoma removal. Little is known about adherence to that interval. We describe patterns of and factors associated with subsequent colonoscopy among persons with ?3 adenomas…
Colorectal cancer (CRC) deaths occur when patients do not receive screening or have inadequate follow-up of abnormal results or when the screening test fails. We have few data on the contribution of each to CRC-associated deaths or factors associated with these…
Screening reduces colorectal cancer deaths, but?
Postcolonoscopy colorectal cancers (PCCRCs) are defined as those detected ≤10 years after an index colonoscopy negative for cancer, but modifiable risk factors are not well established in large, community-based populations. We evaluated risk factors from the index colonoscopy for PCCRCs diagnosed…
Few population-level surveys have explored patient-centered priorities for improving colorectal cancer survivors' care. Working with patients, we designed a survey to identify care improvement and survivorship priorities. We surveyed a random sample of 4000 patients from a retrospective, population-based cohort…
The aim of this study was to test the ability of a commercially available natural language processing (NLP) tool to accurately extract examination quality-related and large polyp information from colonoscopy reports with varying report formats. Colonoscopy quality reporting often requires…
Ten years after a negative colonoscopy, Kaiser Permanente members had 46 percent lower risk of being diagnosed with and were 88 percent less likely to die from colorectal cancer compared with those who did not undergo colorectal cancer screening.
The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is commonly used for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Despite demographic variations in stool hemoglobin concentrations, few data exist regarding optimal positivity thresholds by age and sex. To identify programmatic (multitest) FIT performance characteristics and optimal…
Little information is available on the effectiveness of organized colorectal cancer (CRC) screening on screening uptake, incidence, and mortality in community-based populations. We contrasted screening rates, age-adjusted annual CRC incidence, and incidence-based mortality rates before (baseline year 2000) and after…
To identify risk factors associated with Barrett esophagus (BE) for potential improved surveillance and risk reduction. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a known risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma, but the ability of GERD symptom frequency and severity to predict presence…
This project will validate whether a clinical tool can predict the presence of Barrett's esophagus and the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
As part of a “K” training award from the National Institutes of Health, and within the overall colorectal cancer research program at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, this project will support additional analyses regarding the identification of persons at high hereditary…
Although obesity is an established risk factor for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), it is unclear whether this relationship varies across histologic subtypes. We conducted a nested case-control study within the Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) health care network, and meta-analysis…
Colonoscopy examination does not always detect colorectal cancer (CRC)- some patients develop CRC after negative findings from an examination. When this occurs before the next recommended examination, it is called interval cancer. From a colonoscopy quality assurance perspective, that term…
Epidemiological studies of Helicobacter pylori infection and risk of Barrett's esophagus (BE) have reported conflicting results. We examined the association between H. pylori infection and BE and sought to determine whether the association is mediated by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)…
This study is part of the Population-Based Research Optimizing Screening through Personalized Regimens (PROSPR) program, which aims to enhance understanding of the implementation and effects of screening as practiced in multiple, heterogeneous health care environments in the United States. Within…
Timely follow-up for positive cancer screening results remains suboptimal, and the evidence base to inform decisions on optimizing the timeliness of diagnostic testing is unclear. This systematic review evaluated published studies regarding time to follow-up after a positive screening for…
Effectiveness of fecal occult blood test (FOBT) for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening depends on annual testing, but little is known about patterns of repeat stool-based screening within different settings. Our study's objective was to characterize screening patterns and identify factors…
Sessile serrated adenomas (SSAs) are precursors of 15% to 30% of colorectal cancers but are frequently underdiagnosed. We sought to measure the SSA detection rate (SDR) and predictors of SSA detection after educational training for community gastroenterologists and pathologists. Colonoscopy…
Barrett's oesophagus (BE) increases the risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma by 10-55 times that of the general population, but no community-based cancer-specific incidence and cause-specific mortality risk estimates exist for large cohorts in the USA. Within Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC),…
Background: Patients who receive an abnormal cancer screening result require follow-up for diagnostic testing, but the time to follow-up varies across patients and practices.Methods: We used a simulation study to estimate the change in lifetime screening benefits when time to…
Screening colonoscopy's effectiveness in reducing colorectal cancer mortality risk in community populations is unclear, particularly for right-colon cancers, leading to recommendations against its use for screening in some countries. This study aimed to determine whether, among average-risk people, receipt of…
We developed comprehensive models to determine risk of Barrett's esophagus (BE) or esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) based on genetic and non-genetic factors. We used pooled data from 3288 patients with BE, 2511 patients with EAC, and 2177 individuals without either (controls)…
Colonoscopy quality, as measured by adenoma detection rates, varies widely across providers and is inversely related to patients' post-colonoscopy cancer risk. This has unknown consequences for the benefits of faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) vs. primary colonoscopy screening for colorectal cancer…
Systemic inflammation and sarcopenia are easily evaluated, predict mortality in many cancers, and are potentially modifiable. The combination of inflammation and sarcopenia may be able to identify patients with early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) with poor prognosis. To examine associations of…
This project will evaluate the effectiveness of screening fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) versus screening colonoscopy in reducing the risk of death from colorectal cancer in average risk men and women who receive their care in community settings. We will also…
Fecal immunochemical testing is the most commonly used method for colorectal cancer screening worldwide. However, its effectiveness is frequently undermined by failure to obtain follow-up colonoscopy after positive test results. To evaluate interventions to improve rates of follow-up colonoscopy for…
To investigate differences between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites diagnosed with and treated for renal cell carcinoma in an equal access healthcare system. We carried out a retrospective cohort study within the Kaiser Permanente healthcare system using records from renal cell…
For some patients, positive cancer screening test results can be a stressful experience that can affect future screening compliance and increase the use of health care services unrelated to medically indicated follow-up. Among 483,216 individuals aged 50 to 75 years…
Oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OA) incidence has risen sharply in Western countries over recent decades. Local and systemic inflammation is considered an important contributor to OA pathogenesis. Established risk factors for OA and its precursor, Barrett's oesophagus (BE), include symptomatic reflux, obesity…
Barrett's esophagus (BE) is the key precursor lesion of esophageal adenocarcinoma, a lethal cancer that has increased rapidly in westernized countries over the past four decades. Dietary sugar intake has also been increasing over time, and may be associated with…
Recent studies report racial disparities among individuals in organized colorectal cancer (CRC) programs; however, there is a paucity of information on CRC screening utilization by race/ethnicity among newly age-eligible adults in such programs. This was a retrospective cohort study among…
This study will evaluate the effectiveness of screening fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) versus screening colonoscopy in reducing the risk of death from colorectal cancer in average risk men and women who receive their care in community settings. We will also…
Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma diagnoses have increased markedly in recent decades. Recent research with patients diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus (the only known precursor for esophageal adenocarcinoma) and esophageal adenocarcinoma has identified several modifiable and nonmodifiable potential risk factors. Consistent…
The goal of this study was to determine response rates and associated costs of different survey methods among colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors. We assembled a cohort of 16,212 individuals diagnosed with CRC (2010-2014) from six health plans, and randomly selected…
The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is commonly used for colorectal cancer screening and positive test results require follow-up colonoscopy. However, follow-up intervals vary, which may result in neoplastic progression. To evaluate time to colonoscopy after a positive FIT result and…
The aims of this study are: 1) To build a comprehensive risk-prediction model for colorectal cancer and advanced adenoma in 45,000 colorectal tumors and 45,000 controls based on existing common and rare genome-wide genetic variants, demographic characteristics, and lifestyle and…
Use of oral bisphosphonates has been associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), but the association may be related to residual confounding by healthy lifestyle or body mass index (BMI). Therefore, we conducted a prospective nested case-control study…
Endoscopist fatigue may impact colonoscopy quality, but prior studies conflict, and minimal data exist from community-based practices where most colonoscopies are performed. Within a large, community-based integrated healthcare system, we evaluated the associations among 4 measures of endoscopist fatigue and…
Previous research shows that patients in integrated health systems experience fewer racial disparities compared with more traditional healthcare systems. Little is known about patterns of racial/ethnic disparities between safety-net and non safety-net integrated health systems.We evaluated racial/ethnic differences in body…
Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening detects most asymptomatic colorectal cancers. Combining FIT screening with stool-based genetic biomarkers increases sensitivity for cancer, but whether DNA biomarkers (biomarkers) differ for cancers detected versus missed by FIT screening has not been evaluated in…
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs) suppress gastric acid production, which can inhibit iron absorption. However, few data exist regarding whether these medications increase the risk of clinical iron deficiency. A community-based case-control study evaluated the association…
The purpose of this project is to expand PROSPR's activities related to screening women for cervical cancer. PROSPR is the National Cancer Institute's Population-based Research Optimizing Screening through Personalized Regimens (PROSPR) consortium. This specific application will extend an existing collaboration…
The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of the computational method MeScore CRC in risk stratification for colorectal cancer in a seemingly healthy population (average risk).
Human papillomavirus vaccination may result in lowered intention to be screened for cervical cancer, potentially leading to gaps in screening coverage and avoidable cervical cancer diagnoses. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between human papillomavirus vaccination…
A case-control study to evaluate the associations between commonly performed tests (e.g. colonoscopy) and mortality from colon cancer.
An evaluation of the entire colorectal cancer screening process to optimize end results. The study includes evaluation of screen-failures (persons who had cancer detected outside of screening), failures of colonoscopy detection (and causes), and differences between screen detected and non-screen…
The objective of this study is to optimize and test the predictive value of a model in predicting the occurrence of HCC and the performance characteristics of cancer screening tests among patients with cirrhosis and hepatitis C infection.
This is a case-control study to evaluate the associations between commonly performed tests (e.g., colonoscopy) and mortality from colon cancer.
Fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) are widely used in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, but hemoglobin degradation, due to exposure of the collected sample to high temperatures, could reduce test sensitivity. We examined the relation of ambient temperature exposure with FIT positivity…
The objective of this study is to determine if there is an increased risk of cancer with pantoprazole (Protonix®), relative to other proton pump inhibitors.
The risk of hepatotoxicity with antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains unknown. We determined the comparative risk of acute liver injury (ALI) for antiretroviral drugs, classes, and regimens, by viral hepatitis status. We followed a cohort of 10 083 human immunodeficiency virus…
Regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with a reduced risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Epidemiological studies examining the association between NSAID use and the risk of the precursor lesion, Barrett's esophagus, have been inconclusive. We analyzed pooled individual-level…
Screening outreach programs using population health management principles offer services uniformly to all eligible persons, but racial/ethnic colorectal cancer (CRC) screening patterns in such programs are not well known. To examine the association between race/ethnicity and the receipt of CRC…
Racial/ethnic disparities in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and diagnostic testing present challenges to CRC prevention programs. Thus, it is important to understand how differences in CRC screening approaches between healthcare systems are associated with racial/ethnic disparities. This was a retrospective…
Timely follow-up of abnormal tests is critical to the effectiveness of cancer screening, but may vary by screening test, healthcare system, and sociodemographic group. Timely follow-up of abnormal mammogram and fecal occult blood testing or fecal immunochemical tests (FOBT/FIT) were…
Oesophageal adenocarcinoma represents one of the fastest rising cancers in high-income countries. Barrett's oesophagus is the premalignant precursor of oesophageal adenocarcinoma. However, only a few patients with Barrett's oesophagus develop adenocarcinoma, which complicates clinical management in the absence of valid…
Population outreach strategies are increasingly used to improve colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The influence of primary care on cancer screening in this context is unknown. To assess associations between primary care provider (PCP) visits and receipt of CRC screening and…
Gluteofemoral obesity (determined by measurement of subcutaneous fat in the hip and thigh regions) could reduce risks of cardiovascular and diabetic disorders associated with abdominal obesity. We evaluated whether gluteofemoral obesity also reduces the risk of Barrett's esophagus (BE), a…
Delays in diagnostic testing after a positive result from a screening test can undermine the benefits of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, but there are few empirical data on the effects of such delays. We used microsimulation modeling to estimate the…
Chronic inflammation and oxidative damage caused by obesity, cigarette smoking, and chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are major risk factors associated with Barrett's esophagus (BE) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). EAC has been increasing the past few decades, and early discovery…
Expert recommendations differ for colorectal cancer screening in the elderly. Recent studies suggest that healthy adults aged >75 years may benefit from screening. This study examined screening use and follow-up, and how they varied by health status within age strata,…
Significant racial disparities in survival for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) exist between white and black patients. Differences in access to care and comorbidities are possible contributors. To investigate if racial disparities persist when controlling for access to care, we analyzed…
The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is a common method for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, yet its acceptability and performance over several rounds of annual testing are largely unknown. To assess FIT performance characteristics over 4 rounds of annual screening. Retrospective…
Primary care providers and health systems have prominent roles in guiding effective cancer screening. To characterize variation in screening abnormality rates and timely initial follow-up for common cancer screening tests. Population-based cohort undergoing screening in 2011, 2012, or 2013 at…
The strong male predominance in Barrett's esophagus (BE) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) remains inadequately explained, but sex hormones might be involved. We hypothesized that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the androgen pathway influence risk of developing BE and EAC. This…
Interventions to improve physician adenoma detection rates for colonoscopy have generally not been successful, and there are little data on the factors contributing to variation that may be appropriate targets for intervention. We sought to identify factors that may influence…
Reports on associations between azole antifungal medications and acute liver injury are inconsistent and have not been based on liver-related laboratory tests. We evaluated incidence rates of acute liver injury associated with oral azole antifungals. We conducted a cohort study…
To reduce colorectal cancer mortality, positive fecal blood tests must be followed by colonoscopy. We identified 62,384 individuals ages 50 to 89 years with a positive fecal blood test between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012 in four health…
Abdominal obesity is a risk factor for Barrett's esophagus independent of GERD symptoms, but little is understood about the biological mechanisms between obesity and the carcinogenic pathway of esophageal adenocarcinoma. To evaluate whether ghrelin and leptin may partially explain the…
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have been shown to be carcinogenic in rodent studies. As part of a long-term post-marketing surveillance study requested by the US Food and Drug Administration, to compare incidence rates of gastric and other cancers after sustained…
Abdominal obesity and increasing body mass index are risk factors for esophageal adenocarcinoma and its main precursor, Barrett's esophagus; however, there are no known biological mechanisms for these associations or regarding why only some patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease develop…
Few studies have evaluated the ability of laboratory tests to predict risk of acute liver failure (ALF) among patients with drug-induced liver injury (DILI). We aimed to develop a highly sensitive model to identify DILI patients at increased risk of…
Screening colonoscopy's effectiveness in reducing risk of death from right colon cancers remains unclear. Methodological challenges of existing observational studies addressing this issue motivated the design of 'Effectiveness of Screening for Colorectal Cancer in Average-Risk Adults (SCOLAR)'. SCOLAR is a…
The development of and adherence to quality indicators in gastroenterology, as in all of medicine, is increasing in importance to ensure that patients receive consistent high-quality care. In addition, government-based and private insurers will be expecting documentation of the parameters…
Several cancer-associated loci identified from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been associated with risks of multiple cancer sites, suggesting pleiotropic effects. We investigated whether GWAS-identified risk variants for other common cancers are associated with risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) or…
Existing literature suggests that metformin, the most commonly used biguanide, may lower colorectal cancer risk. Because most colorectal cancers originate in precancerous adenomas, we examined whether metformin use lowered colorectal adenoma risk after polypectomy in patients with type-2 diabetes. Retrospective…
Important risk factors for esophageal adenocarcinoma and its precursor, Barrett's esophagus, include gastroesophageal reflux disease, obesity, and cigarette smoking. Recently, genome-wide association studies have identified seven germline single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) that are associated with risk of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal…
The National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, a national coalition of public, private, and voluntary organizations, has recently announced an initiative to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates in the United States to 80% by 2018. The authors evaluated the potential public…
Colonoscopy is the most commonly used colorectal cancer screening test in the United States. Its quality, as measured by adenoma detection rates (ADRs), varies widely among physicians, with unknown consequences for the cost and benefits of screening programs. To estimate…
Medications are a major cause of acute liver failure (ALF) in the United States, but no population-based studies have evaluated the incidence of ALF from drug-induced liver injury. We aimed to determine the incidence and outcomes of drug-induced ALF in…
Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a common premalignant lesion for which surveillance is recommended. This strategy is limited by considerable variations in clinical practice. We conducted an international, multidisciplinary, systematic search and evidence-based review of BE and provided consensus recommendations for…
Diet is believed to modulate cancer risk and this relationship has been widely studied in the gastrointestinal tract. Observational epidemiologic studies have provided most of the evidence about the effects of diet on cancer risk because clinical trials to determine…
Reliable estimates of adenoma detection rates (ADRs) are needed to inform colonoscopy quality standards, yet little is known about the contributions of patient demographics to variation in ADRs. We evaluated the effects of adjusting for patient age, race/ethnicity, and family…
Accurate determination of colonoscopy indication is required for managing clinical programs and performing research; however, existing algorithms that use available electronic databases (eg, diagnostic and procedure codes) have yielded limited accuracy. To develop and validate an algorithm for classifying colonoscopy…
Screening is a major contributor to colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality reductions in the United States but is underused. We estimated the fraction of CRC deaths attributable to nonuse of screening to demonstrate the potential benefits from targeted interventions. The established…
The use of aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may decrease the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma; however, it is unknown where these agents may act in the proposed pathway from normal mucosa to Barrett's esophagus to esophageal adenocarcinoma. The aim…
While the incidence rates of many cancers have decreased in past decades, the incidence of oesophageal adenocarcinoma continues to increase. The only known precursor for oesophageal adenocarcinoma is Barrett's oesophagus. Studies conducted have identified white race, male sex, GORD, cigarette…
Barrett's esophagus (BE) increases the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). We found the risk to be BE has been associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosome 6p21 (within the HLA region) and on 16q23, where the closest protein-coding gene…
An efficient approach to characterizing the disease burden of rare genetic variants is to impute them into large well-phenotyped cohorts with existing genome-wide genotype data using large sequenced referenced panels. The success of this approach hinges on the accuracy of…
The strong male predominance in oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) and Barrett's oesophagus (BO) continues to puzzle. Hormonal influence, e.g. oestrogen or oxytocin, might contribute. This genetic-epidemiological study pooled 14 studies from three continents, Australia, Europe, and North America. Polymorphisms in 3…
The association between oral bisphosphonate use and upper gastrointestinal cancer has been controversial. Therefore, we examined the association with esophageal and gastric cancer within the Kaiser Permanente, Northern California population. A total of 1,011 cases of esophageal (squamous cell carcinoma…
The incidence of renal cell carcinoma in the United States differs by race/ethnicity. To better understand these disparities, we conducted a nested case-control study investigating renal cell carcinoma risk factors across racial/ethnic groups within the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health…
Incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) has increased substantially in recent decades. Multiple risk factors have been identified for EA and its precursor, Barrett's esophagus (BE), such as reflux, European ancestry, male sex, obesity, and tobacco smoking, and several germline genetic…
Incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) in Western countries has increased markedly in recent decades. Although several risk factors have been identified for EA and its precursor, Barrett's esophagus (BE), including reflux, Caucasian race, male gender, obesity, and smoking, less is…