Early detection of colon cancer-the kaiser permanente northwest 30-year history: how do we measure success? Is it the test, the number of tests, the stage, or the percentage of screen-detected patients?

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common malignancy in the Kaiser Permanente Northwest (KPNW) Region. The goals of CRC screening are early diagnosis of cancer in the preclinical state, down-staging of tumors, and increasing survival. This historical review summarizes the screening strategies since 1980 and their impact on early diagnosis, stage, and survival. During this period, the KPNW Tumor Registry documented the stage and survival, and screen-detection status of patients. We have observed that the percentage of screen-detected case measure has provided critical information that has contributed to the present success. CRC screening efforts by the end of 2010 had provided early diagnosis for one-third of patients.
METHODS: KPNW membership has undergone more than 540,000 fecal blood tests, an estimated 130,000 flexible sigmoidoscopies (FS), and more than 100,000 colonoscopies. Since 1980 members older than age 50 years have increased from 48,627 to 137,617. This report represents a review of 5458 patients. Since 1980, 5 distinct periods of CRC screening have been compared. In 1980, the CRC screening practice was primarily office-based fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) and proctosigmoidoscopy. Data from the initial home-based FOBT testing initiative (1985), transitioning to an FS program (1995), adoption of colonoscopy (2005), and subsequent reintroduction of FOBT testing (2006) allows examination of results by period. After ever-increasing promotion of endoscopy, the goal of screening shifted from "screen detection to prevention by polypectomy."
RESULTS: By reexamining the outcomes of the CRC strategies from 1980-2005, the nature of the colonoscopy label of "gold standard" was questioned leading to a return to FOBT testing. Since then, the percentage of screen-detected patients exceeded expectations with a 6-fold increase (5% to 33%) allowing KPNW to reach its highest level of early detection. DISCUSSION: By examining the KPNW experience, we have come to better understand the significance of effectiveness measures: number of tests, stage of disease, percentage of screen-detected cancers and their relationship to survival. We examined the measures used to assess success and conclude that the current metrics-the number of examinations and disease stage-do not accurately reflect the effectiveness of screening efforts. Early detection of CRC saves lives when a program tests the most at-risk people. Using a good test (FOBT/fecal immunochemical test) that is able to reach more people, rather than the "perfect test" that reaches fewer people, transforms an ineffective program into a successful one. A critical element was the transition of the individual testing to population screening.