Colorectal Cancer Screening

Percentage of adults 50-75 years of age who had appropriate screening for colorectal cancer

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An estimated 132,700 men and women were diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer in 2015. In the same year, 49,700 were estimated to have died from the disease, making colorectal cancer the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States (National Cancer Institute 2015, American Cancer Society 2015). 

Screening for colorectal cancer is extremely important as there are no signs or symptoms of the cancer in the early stages. If the disease is caught in its earliest stages, it has a five-year survival rate of 90%; however, the disease is often not caught this early. While screening is extremely effective in detecting colorectal cancer, it remains underutilized (American Cancer Society 2015). 

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has identified fecal occult blood tests, colonoscopy, and flexible sigmoidoscopy as effective screening methods (United States Preventive Services Task Force 2008).

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (2008): 

[1] The USPSTF recommends screening for colorectal cancer using fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy in adults, beginning at age 50 years and continuing until age 75 years (A recommendation). 
[2] The USPSTF concludes that the evidence is insufficient to assess the benefits and harms of computed tomographic (CT) colonography and fecal DNA testing as screening modalities for colorectal cancer (I statement).

Higher score indicates better quality

American Cancer Society. 2015. "Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Facts & Figures 2015-2016." Atlanta: American Cancer Society.

National Cancer Institute. 2015. "SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Colon and Rectum Cancer." Bethesda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/colorect.html

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). 2008. "Screening for colorectal cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement." Ann Intern Med 149(9):627-37. 

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Patient self-report for procedures as well as diagnostic studies should be recorded in "Procedure, Performed" template or "Diagnostic Study, Performed" template in QRDA-1. Patient self-report is not allowed for laboratory tests.

TBD

Patients 50-75 years of age with a visit during the measurement period

Equals Initial Population

Patients with a diagnosis or past history of total colectomy or colorectal cancer.

Exclude patients who were in hospice care during the measurement year.

Patients with one or more screenings for colorectal cancer. Appropriate screenings are defined by any one of the following criteria: 
- Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) during the measurement period 
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy during the measurement period or the four years prior to the measurement period 
- Colonoscopy during the measurement period or the nine years prior to the measurement period
- FIT-DNA during the measurement period or the two years prior to the measurement period 
- CT Colonography during the measurement period or the four years prior to the measurement period

Not Applicable

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For every patient evaluated by this measure also identify payer, race, ethnicity and sex

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