Trial Information

Impact of a Mailed Educational Reminder on Fecal Occult Blood Testing (FOBT): A Randomized Controlled Trial

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in men and women in the United
States with an estimated 147,000 new cases and more than 56,000 deaths each year. Early
detection of colon cancer and removal of precancerous adenomatous polyps have been shown to
reduce its morbidity, mortality and incidence. There are several recommended CRC screening
tests, including fecal occult blood test (FOBT), flexible sigmoidoscopy, air-contrast barium
enema, and colonoscopy. In the VA, FOBT is the predominant screening test for CRC, however
patient compliance is low. Numerous studies have evaluated patient participation in CRC
screening programs and FOBT card return rates, all of which have shown patient adherence was
suboptimal. To date, there are no studies that have evaluated whether mailed educational
reminders can improve FOBT compliance. The purpose of our randomized controlled trial is to
determine whether mailed educational reminders would increase FOBT card return rates and,
therefore, improve patient compliance with CRC screening.