Genome-wide interaction analysis of folate for colorectal cancer risk
Epidemiological and experimental evidence suggests that higher folate intake is associated with a decreased colorectal cancer (CRC) risk; however, the mechanisms underlying this relationship are not fully understood. Genetic variation that may have a direct or indirect impact on folate…
Brief Communication: The Contemporary Probability of Occult Colorectal Cancer in Patients with Colitis-Related Dysplasia undergoing Colectomy
Occult colorectal cancer (CRC) has historically driven recommendations for colectomy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease with dysplasia . We defined the contemporary risk of occult CRC at colectomy among 93 patients with inflammatory bowel disease with dysplasia based on…
A genetic locus within the FMN1/GREM1 gene region interacts with body mass index in colorectal cancer risk
Colorectal cancer risk can be impacted by genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, including diet and obesity. Gene-environment interactions (G × E) can provide biological insights into the effects of obesity on colorectal cancer risk. Here, we assessed potential genome-wide G…
Addressing Disparities in Outcomes of Screening for Colorectal Cancer in Community-Based Settings
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…
Risk of colorectal cancer and colorectal cancer mortality beginning one year after a negative fecal occult blood test, among screen-eligible 76-85-year-olds
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…
Current chemoprevention approaches in Lynch syndrome and Familial adenomatous polyposis: a global clinical practice survey
International chemoprevention preferences and approaches in Lynch syndrome (LS) and APC-associated polyposis, including Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and attenuated FAP (AFAP) have not been previously explored. To describe current chemoprevention strategies for patients with LS or FAP/AFAP (referred to collectively…
Kroenke, Candyce H
Research interests include social, psychological, and lifestyle factors and breast cancer.
Levin, Theodore R.
Research interests include health services research in gastroenterology.
Corley, Douglas A.
Research interests include outcomes and epidemiologic research in gastroenterology.
CANcer Cachexia Action Network/CANCAN
This study will include 1500 patients with advanced lung, pancreatic, or colorectal cancer at high risk of cachexia for detailed measurement via biospecimen collection, remote monitoring, questionnaire, and medical record review. The aims are to: identify distinct cachexia subtypes with…
Program components and results from an organized colorectal cancer screening program using annual fecal immunochemical testing
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)…
Risk stratification for colorectal cancer in individuals with subtypes of serrated polyps
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,…
Evaluating Acceptance and Screening Yield for Early Colorectal Cancer Screening: (EASY Early CRC)
Three national guideline groups now recommend that all adults start colorectal cancer (CRC) screening at age 45. Before 2018, some guideline groups only recommended African Americans begin CRC screening at age 45. There is currently no empirical evidence of the…
Improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs in individuals with Helicobacter pylori infection in a large, community-based population
Optimization of Diagnosis and Surveillance of Colonic Sessile Serrated Adenomas by Pathologists and Gastroenterologists at KPNC.
Efficacy of paired tumor and germline testing in evaluation of patients with Lynch-like syndrome in a large integrated healthcare setting
Patients with mismatch repair (MMR) deficient colorectal cancer (CRC) without detectable germline pathogenic variants (PVs) or likely pathogenic variants (LPVs) in MMR genes are often labeled as Lynch-like syndrome (LLS). We sought to evaluate the efficacy of paired tumor and…
Genetic architectures of proximal and distal colorectal cancer are partly distinct
An understanding of the etiologic heterogeneity of colorectal cancer (CRC) is critical for improving precision prevention, including individualized screening recommendations and the discovery of novel drug targets and repurposable drug candidates for chemoprevention. Known differences in molecular characteristics and environmental…
Genetically predicted circulating concentrations of micronutrients and risk of colorectal cancer among individuals of European descent: a Mendelian randomization study
The literature on associations of circulating concentrations of minerals and vitamins with risk of colorectal cancer is limited and inconsistent. Evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to support the efficacy of dietary modification or nutrient supplementation for colorectal cancer prevention…
Weight stability masks changes in body composition in colorectal cancer: a retrospective cohort study
There is an emerging viewpoint that change in body weight is not sufficiently sensitive to promptly identify clinically meaningful change in body composition, such as skeletal muscle depletion. We aimed to determine whether body weight stability is associated with skeletal…
PREEMPT CRC: Prevention of Colorectal Cancer Through Multiomics Blood Testing
The primary objectives of this study are to determine the sensitivity and specificity of Freenome's test for colorectal adenocarcinoma, using screening CS with histopathology as the reference method.
Heterogeneity in colorectal cancer incidence among people recommended 3-yearly surveillance post-polypectomy: a validation study
Colonoscopy surveillance is recommended for patients at increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) following adenoma removal. Low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups are defined by baseline adenoma characteristics. We previously examined intermediate-risk patients from hospital data and identified a higher-risk subgroup…
An update on the epidemiology, molecular characterization, diagnosis, and screening strategies for early-onset colorectal cancer
Rising trends in the incidence and mortality of early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) in those who are younger than 50 years have been well established. These trends have spurred intense investigation focused on elucidating the epidemiology and characteristics of early-onset CRC,…
Identifying novel susceptibility genes for colorectal cancer risk from a transcriptome-wide association study of 125,478 subjects
Susceptibility genes and the underlying mechanisms for the majority of risk loci identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for colorectal cancer (CRC) risk remain largely unknown. We conducted a transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) to identify putative susceptibility genes. Gene-expression prediction…
Natural language processing for the accurate identification of colorectal cancer mismatch repair status in Lynch syndrome screening
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…
Metalworking Fluids and Colon Cancer Risk: Longitudinal Targeted Minimum Loss-based Estimation
Metalworking fluids (MWFs) are a class of complex mixtures of chemicals and oils, including several known carcinogens that may pose a cancer hazard to millions of workers. Reports on the relation between MWFs and incident colon cancer have been mixed…
Association of body mass index with colorectal cancer risk by genome-wide variants
Body mass index (BMI) is a complex phenotype that may interact with genetic variants to influence colorectal cancer risk. We tested multiplicative statistical interactions between BMI (per 5 kg/m2) and approximately 2.7 million single nucleotide polymorphisms with colorectal cancer risk among…
Genetic Variants in the Regulatory T cell-Related Pathway and Colorectal Cancer Prognosis
High numbers of lymphocytes in tumor tissue, including T regulatory cells (Treg), have been associated with better colorectal cancer survival. Tregs, a subset of CD4+ T lymphocytes, are mediators of immunosuppression in cancer, and therefore variants in genes related to…
Primary Care Provider Beliefs and Recommendations About Colorectal Cancer Screening in Four Healthcare Systems
Primary care provider's (PCP) perceptions of colorectal cancer screening test effectiveness and their recommendations for testing intervals influence patient screening uptake. Few large studies have examined providers' perceptions and recommendations, including their alignment with evidence suggesting comparable test effectiveness and…
Early Screening of African Americans (45-50 Years Old) in a Fecal Immunochemical Test-based Colorectal Cancer Screening Program
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…
COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact on Colorectal Cancer Screening and Adenoma Surveillance Outcomes (PICASO)
The goal of this project is to evaluate the impact of the COVID pandemic on colorectal cancer screening and surveillance activities, and the impact on outcomes such as colorectal cancer incidence and stage.
Intake of dietary fruit, vegetables, and fiber and risk of colorectal cancer according to molecular subtypes: A pooled analysis of 9 studies
Protective associations of fruits, vegetables, and fiber intake with colorectal cancer risk have been shown in many, but not all epidemiologic studies. One possible reason for study heterogeneity is that dietary factors may have distinct effects by colorectal cancer molecular…
Association of Low Muscle Mass and Low Muscle Radiodensity With Morbidity and Mortality for Colon Cancer Surgery
Given the risks of postoperative morbidity and its consequent economic burden and impairment to patients undergoing colon resection, evaluating risk factors associated with complications will allow risk stratification and the targeting of supportive interventions. Evaluation of muscle characteristics is an…
Circulating bilirubin levels and risk of colorectal cancer: serological and Mendelian randomization analyses
Bilirubin, a byproduct of hemoglobin breakdown and purported anti-oxidant, is thought to be cancer preventive. We conducted complementary serological and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to investigate whether alterations in circulating levels of bilirubin are associated with risk of colorectal cancer…
Genome-wide Modeling of Polygenic Risk Score in Colorectal Cancer Risk
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…
Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy and Colorectal Cancer Risk by Molecularly Defined Subtypes and Tumor Location
Postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) is associated with a decreased colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. As CRC is a heterogeneous disease, we evaluated whether the association of HT and CRC differs across etiologically relevant, molecularly defined tumor subtypes and tumor location. We…
Increased Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Individuals With a History of Serrated Polyps
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…
A Transparent and Adaptable Method to Extract Colonoscopy and Pathology Data Using Natural Language Processing
Key variables recorded as text in colonoscopy and pathology reports have been extracted using natural language processing (NLP) tools that were not easily adaptable to new settings. We aimed to develop a reliable NLP tool with broad adaptability. During 1996-2016,…
PREDICT PCCC: PREDICTing Post Colonoscopy Colorectal Cancer
We are using post-polypectomy surveillance, an increasingly common indication for colonoscopy in clinical practice at TPMG and across the United States, as a model for how we might risk-stratify patients for care. Patients and physicians desire more precise estimates of…
NRG Oncology NCORP Research Base
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.
Kaiser Permanente Interregional Cancer Statistics Project
A Kaiser Permanente interregional cancer statistics report will be developed to include incidence and 5-year relative survival rates for breast, colorectal, and lung cancer. The development of new mortality measures will be explored, along with improved routine capture and reporting…
Functional informed genome-wide interaction analysis of body mass index, diabetes and colorectal cancer risk
Body mass index (BMI) and diabetes are established risk factors for colorectal cancer (CRC), likely through perturbations in metabolic traits (e.g. insulin resistance and glucose homeostasis). Identification of interactions between variation in genes and these metabolic risk factors may identify…
Prediagnosis social support, social integration, living status, and colorectal cancer mortality in postmenopausal women from the women’s health initiative
We evaluated associations between perceived social support, social integration, living alone, and colorectal cancer (CRC) outcomes in postmenopausal women. The study included 1431 women from the Women's Health Initiative who were diagnosed from 1993 through 2017 with stage I through…
Cumulative Burden of Colorectal Cancer-Associated Genetic Variants is More Strongly Associated With Early-onset vs Late-onset Cancer
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…
Circulating Levels of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 and Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 Associate With Risk of Colorectal Cancer Based on Serologic and Mendelian Randomization Analyses
Human studies examining associations between circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) and colorectal cancer risk have reported inconsistent results. We conducted complementary serologic and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to determine…
The Association of Abdominal Adiposity with Mortality in Patients with Stage I-III Colorectal Cancer
The quantity and distribution of adipose tissue may be prognostic measures of mortality in colorectal cancer patients, and such associations may vary by patient sex. This cohort included 3262 stage I-III colorectal cancer patients. Visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues were…
Post-cancer diagnosis dietary inflammatory potential is associated with survival among women diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the Women’s Health Initiative
Dietary factors may influence colorectal cancer (CRC) survival through effects on inflammation. We examined the association between post-CRC diagnosis inflammatory potential of diet and all-cause and cancer-specific mortality in the Women's Health Initiative. The study included 463 postmenopausal women who…
D3-creatine dilution to assess skeletal muscle mass in colon cancer patients
Among colon cancer patients participating in a resistance training intervention during chemotherapy, this study will examine whether a new method to evaluate skeletal muscle mass (d3-creatine dilution) is associated with the key cancer outcomes of strength and physical function, chemotherapy…
Long-term Risk of Colorectal Cancer and Related Death After Adenoma Removal in a Large, Community-based Population
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…
Evaluating screening participation, follow-up and outcomes for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer in the PROSPR consortium
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,…
Meta-analysis of 16 studies of the association of alcohol with colorectal cancer
Alcohol consumption is an established risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). However, while studies have consistently reported elevated risk of CRC among heavy drinkers, associations at moderate levels of alcohol consumption are less clear. We conducted a combined analysis of…
DNA repair and cancer in colon and rectum: novel players in genetic susceptibility
Interindividual differences in DNA repair systems may play a role in modulating the individual risk of developing colorectal cancer. To better ascertain the role of DNA repair gene polymorphisms on colon and rectal cancer risk individually, we evaluated 15,419 single…
Effect of Sex, Age and Positivity Threshold on Fecal Immunochemical Test Accuracy: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
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…
Morbidity and Mortality After Surgery for Nonmalignant Colorectal Polyps: A 10-Year Nationwide Analysis
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…
Colorectal cancer screening with faecal immunochemical testing, sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy: a clinical practice guideline
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…
Colonoscopy Indication Algorithm Performance Across Diverse Health Care Systems in the PROSPR Consortium
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…
Comparison of Universal Versus Age-Restricted Screening of Colorectal Tumors for Lynch Syndrome Using Mismatch Repair Immunohistochemistry: A Cohort Study
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…
Colorectal Cancer Screening in People With and Without HIV in an Integrated Health Care Setting
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…
Treatment patterns and survival differ between early-onset and late-onset colorectal cancer patients: the patient outcomes to advance learning network
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…
Body Composition and Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Colorectal Cancer: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study
Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) are up to 4-fold more likely than individuals without a history of cancer to develop cardiovascular disease. Clinical care guidelines recommend that physicians counsel patients with CRC regarding the association between obesity (defined using body…
Early outcomes of a high-resolution anoscopy-based anal cancer screening program among people with HIV enrolled in an integrated healthcare system
Few studies have examined outcomes of high-resolution anoscopy (HRA)-based screening for people with HIV infection (PWH), a population at increased risk for anal cancer. Large integrated health care system. Cohort study of 13,552 people with HIV infection, comparing incidences of…
Mendelian randomization analysis of C-reactive protein on colorectal cancer risk
Chronic inflammation is a risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). Circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) is also moderately associated with CRC risk. However, observational studies are susceptible to unmeasured confounding or reverse causality. Using genetic risk variants as instrumental variables, we…
Time to Follow-up After Colorectal Cancer Screening by Health Insurance Type
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…
Genetic variant predictors of gene expression provide new insight into risk of colorectal cancer
Genome-wide association studies have reported 56 independently associated colorectal cancer (CRC) risk variants, most of which are non-coding and believed to exert their effects by modulating gene expression. The computational method PrediXcan uses cis-regulatory variant predictors to impute expression and…
Gene Dependent Cancer Risk and Optimal Cancer Prevention Strategies in Lynch Syndrome – DUPLICATED DO NOT ACTIVATE
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…
Comprehensive Translational Science Analytics Tools for the Global Health Agenda
This project builds on a previous Community Benefit grant award to examine changes in cervical and colorectal cancer screening as a result of the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It will examine impacts on colorectal cancer incidence and mortality. This will be…
The association of medical and demographic characteristics with sarcopenia and low muscle radiodensity in patients with nonmetastatic colorectal cancer
Sarcopenia and low skeletal muscle radiodensity (SMD) have been associated with adverse outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC); however, factors contributing to these 2 muscle abnormalities are unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of…
Effects of Electronic Chromoendoscopy on Detection of Adenomas During Colonoscopy
I-scan is an electronic chromoendoscopy technology that improves resolution of epithelial and mucosal surfaces and vessels. We performed a randomized controlled trial to compare detection of adenomas by i-scan vs standard high-definition white-light (HDWL) colonoscopy. From February 1 through December…
Strategies to Improve Follow-up After Positive Fecal Immunochemical Tests in a Community-Based Setting: A Mixed-Methods Study
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…
Long-term Risk of Colorectal Cancer and Related Deaths After a Colonoscopy With Normal Findings
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…
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and colorectal cancer survival
Liver diseases including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and ensuing alterations to the micro-environment may affect development of liver metastasis. Mirroring the rise in obesity rates, prevalence of NAFLD is increasing globally. Our objective was to examine the association between…
Balancing Adherence and Expense: The Cost-Effectiveness of Two-Sample vs One-Sample Fecal Immunochemical Test
Colorectal cancer (CRC) causes more than 50,000 deaths each year in the United States but early detection through screening yields survival gains; those diagnosed with early stage disease have a 5-year survival greater than 90%, compared to 12% for those…
Novel Common Genetic Susceptibility Loci for Colorectal Cancer
Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 42 loci (P < 5 × 10-8) associated with risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Expanded consortium efforts facilitating the discovery of additional susceptibility loci may capture unexplained familial risk. We conducted a GWAS in European…
Discovery of common and rare genetic risk variants for colorectal cancer
To further dissect the genetic architecture of colorectal cancer (CRC), we performed whole-genome sequencing of 1,439 cases and 720 controls, imputed discovered sequence variants and Haplotype Reference Consortium panel variants into genome-wide association study data, and tested for association in…
Receipt of Colonoscopy Following Diagnosis of Advanced Adenomas: An Analysis within Integrated Healthcare Delivery Systems
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…
Modifiable Failures in the Colorectal Cancer Screening Process and Their Association with Risk of Death
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…
Colorectal Cancer Screening Participation Among Asian Americans Overall and Subgroups in an Integrated Health Care Setting with Organized Screening
Screening reduces colorectal cancer deaths, but?
Index colonoscopy-related risk factors for postcolonoscopy colorectal cancers
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…
Health care improvement and survivorship priorities of colorectal cancer survivors: findings from the PORTAL colorectal cancer cohort survey
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…
Accurate Identification of Colonoscopy Quality and Polyp Findings Using Natural Language Processing
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…
Patterns of medication adherence in a multi-ethnic cohort of prevalent statin users diagnosed with breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer
To investigate the implications of a cancer diagnosis on medication adherence for pre-existing comorbid conditions, we explored statin adherence patterns prior to and following a new diagnosis of breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer among a multi-ethnic cohort. We identified adults…
Novel variant of unknown significance in MUTYH in a patient with MUTYH-associated polyposis: a case to reclassify
MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP) is a hereditary cancer syndrome that is caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in the MUTYH gene and should be evaluated for in patients with an attenuated colonic polyposis phenotype. Monoallelic pathogenic variants in MUTYH are associated with…
Influence of Varying Quantitative Fecal Immunochemical Test Positivity Thresholds on Colorectal Cancer Detection: A Community-Based Cohort Study
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…
Acceptability of high-resolution anoscopy for anal cancer screening in HIV-infected patients
HIV-infected individuals are at increased risk of anal cancer. Screening for anal cancer precursors using high-resolution anoscopy (HRA) may be clinically beneficial. In this study, we examined patient tolerability of this procedure. The acceptability of HRA was evaluated among HIV-infected…
Effects of Organized Colorectal Cancer Screening on Cancer Incidence and Mortality in a Large, Community-based Population
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…
Clinical implications of low skeletal muscle mass in early-stage breast and colorectal cancer
Although obesity has now been widely accepted to be an important risk factor for cancer survival, the associations between BMI and cancer mortality have not been consistently linear. Although morbid obesity has clearly been associated with worse survival, some studies…
Optimizing Long-Term Post-Polypectomy Surveillance for Colorectal Cancer Prevention Using a Prediction Rule Developed from a Large, Community-Based Cohort
Screening has been shown to reduce colorectal cancer incidence and mortality. However, screening has resulted in a growing cohort of patients with adenomatous polyps (adenomas), and little is known about effectively managing their post-polypectomy surveillance. With limited data available in…
Gene Dependent Cancer Risk and Optimal Cancer Prevention Strategies in Lynch Syndrome
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…
World Endoscopy Organization Consensus Statements on Post-Colonoscopy and Post-Imaging Colorectal Cancer
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…
Antidepressant Use and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in The Women’s Health Initiative
Background: Some prior studies have reported reduced colorectal cancer risk among individuals using antidepressant medications, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Yet most studies have not considered the potential role of depression or other confounders in their analyses.Methods: We utilized…
Associations of pre-existing co-morbidities with skeletal muscle mass and radiodensity in patients with non-metastatic colorectal cancer
Co-morbidities and computerized tomography-measured muscle abnormalities are both common in cancer patients and independently adversely influence clinical outcomes. Muscle abnormalities are also evident in other diseases, such as diabetes and obesity. This study examined for the first time the association…
Screening for low muscularity in colorectal cancer patients: a valid, clinic-friendly approach that predicts mortality
Low skeletal muscle quantified using computed tomography (CT) scans is associated with morbidity and mortality among cancer patients. However, existing methods to assess skeletal muscle from CT are time-consuming, expensive, and require training. Clinic-friendly tools to screen for low skeletal…
Beyond Body Mass Index: Bringing Body Composition into Oncology Practice
This project consists of development of electronic tools to rapidly assess body composition in colorectal cancer and breast cancer patients and present this information to clinicians. It leverages Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s electronic medical records and repository of CT images,…
Muscle radiodensity and mortality in patients with colorectal cancer
Low skeletal muscle radiodensity (SMD) is related to higher mortality in several cancers, but the association with colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis is unclear. This observational study included 3262 men and women from the Kaiser Permanente Northern California population diagnosed between…
The TGFβ-signaling pathway and colorectal cancer: associations between dysregulated genes and miRNAs
The TGFβ-signaling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Loss of function of several genes within this pathway, such as bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) have been seen as key events in CRC progression. In this…
Mutation analysis of adenomas and carcinomas of the colon: early and late drivers
Colorectal cancer (CRC) accounts for about 8% of all new cancer cases diagnosed in the US. We used whole exome sequence data from triplet samples (colon carcinoma, colon adenoma, and normal tissue) from 18 individuals to assess gene mutation rates…
Influence of smoking, body mass index and other factors on the preventive effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on colorectal cancer risk
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) use has consistently been associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer (CRC); however, studies showed inconsistent results on which cohort of individuals may benefit most. We performed multivariable logistic regression analysis to systematically test for the…
The p53-signaling pathway and colorectal cancer: Interactions between downstream p53 target genes and miRNAs
We examined expression of genes in the p53-signaling pathway. We determine if genes that have significantly different expression in carcinoma tissue compared to normal mucosa also have significantly differentially expressed miRNAs. We utilize a sample of 217 CRC cases. We…
Mendelian randomisation study of age at menarche and age at menopause and the risk of colorectal cancer
Substantial evidence supports an association between use of menopausal hormone therapy and decreased colorectal cancer (CRC) risk, indicating a role of exogenous sex hormones in CRC development. However, findings on endogenous oestrogen exposure and CRC are inconsistent. We used a Mendelian…
Determining Risk of Colorectal Cancer and Starting Age of Screening Based on Lifestyle, Environmental, and Genetic Factors
Guidelines for initiating colorectal cancer (CRC) screening are based on family history but do not consider lifestyle, environmental, or genetic risk factors. We developed models to determine risk of CRC, based on lifestyle and environmental factors and genetic variants, and…
The deterioration of muscle mass and radiodensity is prognostic of poor survival in stage I-III colorectal cancer: a population-based cohort study (C-SCANS)
Muscle abnormalities such as low muscle mass and low muscle radiodensity are well known risk factors for unfavourable cancer prognosis. However, little is known in regard to the degree and impact of longitudinal changes in muscle mass and radiodensity within…
Optimizing Colorectal Cancer Screening PREcision and Outcomes in CommunIty-baSEd Populations (PRECISE)
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…
A Mixed-Effects Model for Powerful Association Tests in Integrative Functional Genomics
Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have successfully identified thousands of genetic variants for many complex diseases; however, these variants explain only a small fraction of the heritability. Recently, genetic association studies that leverage external transcriptome data have received much attention and…
MicroRNA-messenger RNA interactions involving JAK-STAT signaling genes in colorectal cancer
JAK-STAT signaling influences many downstream processes that, unchecked, contribute to carcinogenesis and metastasis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are hypothesized as a mechanism to prevent uncontrolled growth from continuous JAK-STAT activation. We investigated differential expression between paired carcinoma and normal colorectal mucosa of…
A Cohort Study of Metformin and Colorectal Cancer Risk among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus
Background: Several epidemiologic studies have reported strong inverse associations between metformin use and risk of colorectal cancer, although time-related biases, such as immortal time bias, may in part explain these findings. We reexamined this association using methods to minimize these…
Patterns and predictors or repeat fecal immunochemical and occult blood test screening in four large health care systems in the United States
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…
Yield of Colonoscopy After a Positive Result From a Fecal Immunochemical Test OC-Light.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is widely used in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The OC-Light FIT is 1 of 2 FITs recommended for CRC screening by the Preventive Services Task Force guidelines. However, little is known about…
Dysregulated genes and miRNAs in the apoptosis pathway in colorectal cancer patients
Apoptosis is genetically regulated and involves intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. We examined 133 genes within these pathways to identify whether they are expressed differently in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and normal tissue (N = 217) and if they are associated with similar differential…
Development and validation of the SIMPLE endoscopic classification of diminutive and small colorectal polyps.
BACKGROUND: Prediction of histology of small polyps facilitates colonoscopic treatment. The aims of this study were: 1) to develop a simplified polyp classification, 2) to evaluate its performance in predicting polyp histology, and 3) to evaluate the reproducibility of the…
Outreach for Colorectal Cancer Screening in African Americans Aged 45 to 49
This study aims to 1) evaluate uptake of fecal immunochemical testing among African Americans aged 45 to 49 who receive outreach for such testing by mail, 2) examine the yield of screening results, including advanced adenomas and colon cancers, and…
Diagnosis of sessile serrated adenoma after educational training in a large, community-based, integrated healthcare setting
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…
The NF-κB signalling pathway in colorectal cancer: associations between dysregulated gene and miRNA expression
The nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signalling pathway is a regulator of immune response and inflammation that has been implicated in the carcinogenic process. We examined differentially expressed genes in this pathway and miRNAs to determine associations with colorectal cancer (CRC)…
The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Life and Longevity After Cancer (LILAC) Study: Description and Baseline Characteristics of Participants
Background: The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Life and Longevity After Cancer (LILAC) study offers an important opportunity to advance cancer research by extending the original WHI studies to examine survivorship in women diagnosed with cancer during their participation in WHI.Methods:…
Effect of Time to Diagnostic Testing for Breast, Cervical, and Colorectal Cancer Screening Abnormalities on Screening Efficacy: A Modeling Study
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…
Effectiveness of screening colonoscopy in reducing the risk of death from right and left colon cancer: a large community-based study
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…
Expression of Wnt-signaling pathway genes and their associations with miRNAs in colorectal cancer
The Wnt-signaling pathway functions in regulating cell growth and thus is involved in the carcinogenic process of several cancers, including colorectal cancer. We tested the hypothesis that multiple genes in this signaling pathway are dysregulated and that miRNAs are associated…
Being Present: A single-arm feasibility study of audio-based mindfulness meditation for colorectal cancer patients and caregivers
A metastatic cancer diagnosis is associated with high levels of distress in patients and caregivers. Mindfulness interventions can reduce distress and improve quality of life in cancer patients. However, standard mindfulness training relies on in-person instruction, which is often not…
The MAPK-Signaling Pathway in Colorectal Cancer: Dysregulated Genes and Their Association With MicroRNAs
Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways regulate many cellular functions including cell proliferation and apoptosis. We examined associations of differential gene and microRNA (miRNA) expression between carcinoma and paired normal mucosa for 241 genes in the KEGG-identified MAPK-signaling pathway among 217…
Rectal Cancer Survivors’ Participation in Productive Activities
Rectal cancer and its treatment impair survivors' productivity. To assess determinants of market and nonmarket employment, job search, volunteering, and homemaking among survivors five years or longer after diagnosis. We mailed questionnaires to 1063 survivors who were members of (Northern…
Resistance Training to Reduce Chemotoxicity in Colon Cancer
The goal of this study is to test a randomized intervention of up to six months of home-based resistance training and protein supplementation versus a waitlist control. The intervention will begin during the first month of chemotherapy and continue through…
Disparities in Prostate, Lung, Breast, and Colorectal Cancer Survival and Comorbidity Status among Urban American Indians and Alaskan Natives
Cancer is the second leading cause of death among American Indians and Alaskan Natives (AIAN), although cancer survival information in this population is limited, particularly among urban AIAN. In this retrospective cohort study, we compared all-cause and prostate, breast, lung,…
Methodological considerations for disentangling a risk factor’s influence on disease incidence versus postdiagnosis survival: The example of obesity and breast and colorectal cancer mortality in the Women’s Health Initiative
Often, studies modeling an exposure's influence on time to disease-specific death from study enrollment are incorrectly interpreted as if based on time to death from disease diagnosis. We studied 151,996 postmenopausal women without breast or colorectal cancer in the Women's…
Impact of adenoma detection on the benefit of faecal testing vs. colonoscopy for colorectal cancer
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…
Association of Systemic Inflammation and Sarcopenia With Survival in Nonmetastatic Colorectal Cancer: Results From the C SCANS Study
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…
Effectiveness of Screening for Colorectal Cancer in Average Risk Adults: Colonoscopy vs. Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)
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…
Colonoscopy vs. Fecal Immunochemical Test in Reducing Mortality From Colorectal Cancer (CONFIRM): Rationale for Study Design
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is preventable through screening, with colonoscopy and fecal occult blood testing comprising the two most commonly used screening tests. Given the differences in complexity, risk, and cost, it is important to understand these tests' comparative effectiveness. The…
A Comparison of Fecal Immunochemical and High-Sensitivity Guaiac Tests for Colorectal Cancer Screening
Annual testing using either a high-sensitivity guaiac fecal occult blood test (HS-gFOBT) or a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is recommended for screening average-risk people for colorectal cancer. We compared the performance characteristics of the HS-gFOBT Hemoccult II SENSA and two…
Predictors of Bowel Function in Long-term Rectal Cancer Survivors with Anastomosis
Bowel function in long-term rectal cancer survivors with anastomosis has not been characterized adequately. We hypothesized that bowel function is associated with patient, disease, and treatment characteristics. The cohort study included Kaiser Permanente members who were long-term (≥5 years) rectal cancer…
The co-regulatory networks of tumor suppressor genes, oncogenes, and miRNAs in colorectal cancer
Tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) and oncogenes (OG) are involved in carcinogenesis. MiRNAs also contribute to cellular pathways leading to cancer. We use data from 217 colorectal cancer (CRC) cases to evaluate differences in TSGs and OGs expression between paired CRC…
The PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway: associations of miRNAs with dysregulated gene expression in colorectal cancer
The PI3K/AKT-signaling pathway is one of the most frequently activated signal-transduction pathways in cancer. We examined how dysregulated gene expression is associated with miRNA expression in this pathway in colorectal cancer (CRC). We used data from 217 CRC cases to…
Interventions to Improve Follow-up of Positive Results on Fecal Blood Tests: A Systematic Review
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…
Primary care visit use after positive fecal immunochemical test for colorectal cancer screening
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…
Germline variation in inflammation-related pathways and risk of Barrett’s oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma
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…
Multiple Gene-Environment Interactions on the Angiogenesis Gene-Pathway Impact Rectal Cancer Risk and Survival
Characterization of gene-environment interactions (GEIs) in cancer is limited. We aimed at identifying GEIs in rectal cancer focusing on a relevant biologic process involving the angiogenesis pathway and relevant environmental exposures: cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and animal protein intake. We…
Muscle mass at the time of diagnosis of nonmetastatic colon cancer and early discontinuation of chemotherapy, delays, and dose reductions on adjuvant FOLFOX: The C-SCANS study
For many chemotherapy regimens dosed based on body surface area (BSA), patients experience dose reductions or delays or discontinue treatment, thereby reducing survival. Consideration of body composition may be useful in individualizing chemotherapy dosing, but to the authors' knowledge few…
Colorectal Cancer Screening Initiation After Age 50 Years in an Organized Program
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…
Effectiveness of Screening for Colorectal Cancer in Average Risk Adults: Colonoscopy vs. FIT
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…
Colorectal Cancer Screening: Recommendations for Physicians and Patients from the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer
This document updates the colorectal cancer (CRC) screening recommendations of the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force of Colorectal Cancer (MSTF), which represents the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Gastroenterological Association, and The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. CRC screening tests…
Explaining the Obesity Paradox: The Association between Body Composition and Colorectal Cancer Survival (C-SCANS Study)
Background: Body composition may partially explain the U-shaped association between body mass index (BMI) and colorectal cancer survival.Methods: Muscle and adiposity at colorectal cancer diagnosis and survival were examined in a retrospective cohort using Kaplan-Meier curves, multivariable Cox regression, and…
Optimizing patient-reported outcome and risk factor reporting from cancer survivors: a randomized trial of four different survey methods among colorectal cancer survivors
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…
Recommendations on Surveillance and Management of Biallelic Mismatch Repair Deficiency (BMMRD) Syndrome: A Consensus Statement by the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer
The US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer, with invited experts, developed a consensus statement and recommendations to assist health care providers with appropriate management of patients with biallelic mismatch repair deficiency (BMMRD) syndrome, also called constitutional mismatch repair deficiency syndrome. This position…
Recommendations on Surveillance and Management of Biallelic Mismatch Repair Deficiency (BMMRD) Syndrome: A Consensus Statement by the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer
The US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer, with invited experts, developed a consensus statement and recommendations to assist health care providers with appropriate management of patients with biallelic mismatch repair deficiency (BMMRD) syndrome, also called constitutional mismatch repair deficiency…
Association Between Time to Colonoscopy After a Positive Fecal Test Result and Risk of Colorectal Cancer and Cancer Stage at Diagnosis
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…
Comprehensive Colorectal Cancer Risk Prediction to Inform Personalized Screening
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…
Endoscopist Fatigue Estimates and Colonoscopic Adenoma Detection in a Large Community-Based Setting
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…
Genetic Biomarker Prevalence Is Similar in Fecal Immunochemical Test Positive and Negative Colorectal Cancer Tissue
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…
Colorectal Cancer Screening and Outcomes in HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Individuals
With increasing age of HIV patients, HIV care is increasingly directed towards prevention of chronic disease, including cancer. With the exception of our recent study, prior research has not noted a higher risk of colorectal cancer in HIV patients. However,…
Novel approaches to identify sarcopenia in newly diagnosed cancer patients
This study will provide evidence on the prevalence and prognostic value of sarcopenia at diagnosis among KPNC colorectal cancer patients diagnosed from 2005-2013. Sarcopenia will be assessed through the qualitative determination of an expert radiologist using visual inspection, and validated…
Retrospective Validation of MeScore for Identification of Colorectal Cancer
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).
Metabolic Phenotype and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Normal-Weight Postmenopausal Women
The prevalence of metabolically unhealthy phenotype in normal-weight adults is 30%, and few studies have explored the association between metabolic phenotype and colorectal cancer incidence in normal-weight individuals. Our aim was to compare the risk of colorectal cancer in normal-weight…
Effectiveness of Screening Colonoscopy in Reducing Deaths from Colorectal Cancer (SCOLAR)
A case-control study to evaluate the associations between commonly performed tests (e.g. colonoscopy) and mortality from colon cancer.
Optimizing Colonoscopy and Fecal Immunochemical Tests for Community-Based Screening, COLOFIT(S)
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…
Body Composition, Weight, and Colon Cancer Survival
Using a novel state of the art meausre of lean body mass and fat mass derived from CT scans , this study will examine effects of body composition and changes in body composition among colon cancer survivors on colon cancer…
Effectiveness of Screening Colonoscopy in Reducing Deaths from Colorectal Cancer (SCOLAR) – DUPLICATED DO NOT ACTIVATE
This is a case-control study to evaluate the associations between commonly performed tests (e.g., colonoscopy) and mortality from colon cancer.
Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) for Colon Cancer Screening: Variable Performance with Ambient Temperature
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…
Recommendations on Fecal Immunochemical Testing to Screen for Colorectal Neoplasia: A Consensus Statement by the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer
The use of the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is supported by randomized trials demonstrating effectiveness in cancer prevention and widely recommended by guidelines for this purpose. The fecal immunochemical test (FIT), as a direct…
Association of Weight Change after Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Outcomes in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Population
Higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with incident colorectal cancer but not consistently with colorectal cancer survival. Whether weight gain or loss is associated with colorectal cancer survival is largely unknown. We identified 2,781 patients from Kaiser Permanente Northern…
Race/Ethnicity and Adoption of a Population Health Management Approach to Colorectal Cancer Screening in a Community-Based Healthcare System
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…
Self-reported depression and perceived financial burden among long-term rectal cancer survivors
Types of surgery for rectal cancer (RC), including permanent ostomy (PO) or temporary ostomy followed by anastomosis (TO) or initial anastomosis (AN), can affect psychological and financial well-being during active treatment. However, these relationships have not been well studied among…
Increasing Minority Enrollment Onto Clinical Trials: Practical Strategies and Challenges Emerge From the NRG Oncology Accrual Workshop
Racial and ethnic diversity has historically been difficult to achieve in National Cancer Institute-sponsored clinical trials, even while as many as 80% of those trials have faced difficulty in meeting overall recruitment targets. In an attempt to address these issues,…
Association Between Primary Care Visits and Colorectal Cancer Screening Outcomes in the Era of Population Health Outreach
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…
Consequences of Increasing Time to Colonoscopy Examination Following Positive Result From Fecal Colorectal Cancer Screening Test
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…
Harms, benefits, and the nature of interventions in pragmatic clinical trials
To produce evidence capable of informing healthcare decision making at all critical levels, pragmatic clinical trials are diverse both in terms of the type of intervention (medical, behavioral, and/or technological) and the target of intervention (patients, clinicians, and/or healthcare system…
Metabolic Dysfunction, Obesity, and Survival Among Patients With Early-Stage Colorectal Cancer
The effects of obesity and metabolic dysregulation on cancer survival are inconsistent. To identify high-risk subgroups of obese patients and to examine the joint association of metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) in combination with obesity, we categorized patients with early-stage (I to…
Relationship of pre-diagnostic body mass index with survival after colorectal cancer: Stage-specific associations
Higher body mass index (BMI) is a well-established risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC), but is inconsistently associated with CRC survival. In 6 prospective studies participating in the Genetics and Epidemiology of Colorectal Cancer Consortium (GECCO), 2,249 non-Hispanic white CRC…
Influence of Age and Comorbidity on Colorectal Cancer Screening in the Elderly
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,…
Analysis of Body Mass Index and Mortality in Patients With Colorectal Cancer Using Causal Diagrams
Physicians and investigators have sought to determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared]) and colorectal cancer (CRC) outcomes, but methodologic limitations including sampling selection bias, reverse causality, and…
Acceptance of flexible sigmoidoscopy screening for colorectal cancer
This study was conducted in the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program of Northern California to identify patient characteristics that explain interest in flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) screening. A mailed screening invitation to 6837 age-eligible patients elicited responses from 49%. Efforts to…
Participation of Asian-American women in cancer treatment research: a pilot study
Few Asian-American women participate in cancer treatment trials. In a pilot study to assess barriers to participation, we mailed surveys to 132 oncologists and interviewed 19 Asian-American women with cancer from Northern California. Forty-four oncologists responded. They reported as barriers…
Breast and cervical cancer screening: clinicians’ views on health plan guidelines and implementation efforts
BACKGROUND: Optimizing breast and cervical cancer screening rates within health plans requires clinician support for screening guidelines, an awareness of whether there are tools available and functioning to aid screening implementation, and a perception of collegial and leadership support for…
Women’s decision making about whether or not to use breast cancer chemoprevention
BACKGROUND: Minimal research is available that examines how women at high risk for breast cancer make choices about chemoprevention. We examined how women decide whether to use chemoprevention within the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR), a non-placebo arm prevention…
Sexual Function and Health-Related Quality of Life in Long-Term Rectal Cancer Survivors
Sexual dysfunction is a treatment sequela in survivors of rectal cancer (RC). Differences in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) can occur based on ostomy status (permanent ostomy vs anastomosis). To describe alterations in sexual function and HRQOL based on ostomy…
Fecal Immunochemical Test Program Performance Over 4 Rounds of Annual Screening: A Retrospective Cohort Study
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…
Variation in Screening Abnormality Rates and Follow-Up of Breast, Cervical and Colorectal Cancer Screening within the PROSPR Consortium
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…
Recommendations for a step-wise comparative approach to the evaluation of new screening tests for colorectal cancer
New screening tests for colorectal cancer continue to emerge, but the evidence needed to justify their adoption in screening programs remains uncertain. A review of the literature and a consensus approach by experts was undertaken to provide practical guidance on…
Colonoscopy Surveillance after Colorectal Cancer Resection: Recommendations of the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer
The US Multi-Society Task Force has developed updated recommendations to guide health care providers with the surveillance of patients after colorectal cancer (CRC) resection with curative intent. This document is based on a critical review of the literature regarding the…
Factors Influencing Variation in Physician Adenoma Detection Rates: a Theory-Based Approach for Performance Improvement
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…
Ten-year incidence of colorectal cancer following a negative screening sigmoidoscopy: an update from the Colorectal Cancer Prevention (CoCaP) programme
To examine the rates of colorectal cancer (CRC) following a negative screening sigmoidoscopy. Cohort study. An integrated healthcare delivery organisation in California, USA. 72,483 men and women aged 50?years and above who had a negative screening sigmoidoscopy between 1994 and…
CYP24A1 variant modifies the association between use of oestrogen plus progestogen therapy and colorectal cancer risk
Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) use has been consistently associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in women. Our aim was to use a genome-wide gene-environment interaction analysis to identify genetic modifiers of CRC risk associated with use of…
Fine-Mapping of Common Genetic Variants Associated with Colorectal Tumor Risk Identified Potential Functional Variants
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified many common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with colorectal cancer risk. These SNPs may tag correlated variants with biological importance. Fine-mapping around GWAS loci can facilitate detection of functional candidates and additional independent risk…
Risk of gastric cancer, gastrointestinal cancers and other cancers: a comparison of treatment with pantoprazole and other proton pump inhibitors
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…
Common Genetic Variation and Survival after Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis: A Genome-Wide Analysis
Genome-wide association studies have identified several germline single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence. Common germline genetic variation may also be related to CRC survival. We used a discovery-based approach to identify SNPs related to survival…
Dietary and Behavioral Adjustments to Manage Bowel Dysfunction After Surgery in Long-Term Colorectal Cancer Survivors
Bowel dysfunction is a known complication of colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery. Poor bowel control has a detrimental impact on survivors' health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This analysis describes the dietary and behavioral adjustments used by CRC survivors to manage bowel…
Observational methods to assess the effectiveness of screening colonoscopy in reducing right colon cancer mortality risk: SCOLAR
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…
METFORMIN USE AND RISK OF COLORECTAL ADENOMA AFTER POLYPECTOMY IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS
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…
Chronic inflammation and risk of colorectal and other obesity-related cancers: The health, aging and body composition study.
Evidence of the association between chronic inflammation and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and other obesity-related cancers (OBRC) remains inconsistent, possibly due to a paucity of studies examining repeated measures of inflammation. In the Health ABC prospective study of…
A Candidate-Pathway Approach to Identify Gene-Environment Interactions: Analyses of Colon Cancer Risk and Survival
Genetic association studies have traditionally focused on associations between individual single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and disease. Standard analysis ignores interactions between multiple SNPs and environmental exposures explaining a small portion of disease heritability: the often-cited issue of "missing heritability." We…
Faecal immunochemical tests versus guaiac faecal occult blood tests: what clinicians and colorectal cancer screening programme organisers need to know.
Although colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common cause of cancer-related death, it is fortunately amenable to screening with faecal tests for occult blood and endoscopic tests. Despite the evidence for the efficacy of guaiac-based faecal occult blood tests (gFOBT), they…
An evaluation and replication of miRNAs with disease stage and colorectal cancer-specific mortality
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in colorectal cancer (CRC) development and associated with prognostic indicators such as disease stage and survival. Prognostic associations are often based on few individuals and imprecise. In this study, we utilize population-based data from 1,141…
Genome-wide association study of colorectal cancer identifies six new susceptibility loci
Genetic susceptibility to colorectal cancer is caused by rare pathogenic mutations and common genetic variants that contribute to familial risk. Here we report the results of a two-stage association study with 18,299 cases of colorectal cancer and 19,656 controls, with…
Building Equity Improvement into Quality Improvement: Reducing Socioeconomic Disparities in Colorectal Cancer Screening as Part of Population Health Management
Improving colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates for patients from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds is a recognized public health priority. Our aim was to determine if implementation of a system-wide screening intervention could reduce disparities in the setting of improved overall screening…
Public health impact of achieving 80% colorectal cancer screening rates in the United States by 2018
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…
Mendelian randomization study of body mass index and colorectal cancer risk
High body mass index (BMI) is consistently linked to increased risk of colorectal cancer for men, whereas the association is less clear for women. As risk estimates from observational studies may be biased and/or confounded, we conducted a Mendelian randomization…
Variation in Adenoma Detection Rate and the Lifetime Benefits and Cost of Colorectal Cancer Screening: A Microsimulation Model
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…
Adjusting for Patient Demographics Has Minimal Effects on Rates of Adenoma Detection in a Large, Community-based Setting
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…
Association of aspirin and NSAID use with risk of colorectal cancer according to genetic variants
Use of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer. To identify common genetic markers that may confer differential benefit from aspirin or NSAID chemoprevention, we tested gene?×?environment interactions between regular use of…
The association between dietary inflammatory index and risk of colorectal cancer among postmenopausal women: results from the Women’s Health Initiative
Inflammation is a process central to carcinogenesis and in particular to colorectal cancer (CRC). Previously, we developed a dietary inflammatory index (DII) from extensive literature review to assess the inflammatory potential of diet. In the current study, we utilized this…
Development and validation of an algorithm for classifying colonoscopy indication
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…
Colorectal cancer deaths attributable to nonuse of screening in the United States
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…
Lack of significant association between serum inflammatory cytokine profiles and the presence of colorectal adenoma
Inflammatory cytokines in the colonic microenvironment have been shown to increase with advance colorectal cancer disease state. However, the contribution of inflammatory cytokines to pre-malignant disease, such as the formation of adenomas, is unclear. Using the Milliplex® MAP Human Cytokine/…
Factors associated with use and non-use of the Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) kit for Colorectal Cancer Screening in Response to a 2012 outreach screening program: a survey study
The one-sample fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is gaining popularity for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening of average-risk people. However, uptake and annual use remain suboptimal. In 2013, we mailed questionnaires to three groups of nonHispanic White, Black, and Latino Kaiser Permanente…
Red meat intake, NAT2, and risk of colorectal cancer: A pooled analysis of 11 studies
Red meat intake has been associated with risk of colorectal cancer, potentially mediated through heterocyclic amines. The metabolic efficiency of N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) required for the metabolic activation of such amines is influenced by genetic variation. The interaction between red…
Advances in Fecal Occult Blood Tests: the FIT revolution.
There is a wide choice of fecal occult blood tests (FOBTs) for colorectal cancer screening. GOAL: To highlight the issues applicable when choosing a FOBT, in particular which FOBT is best suited to the range of screening scenarios. Four scenarios…