Appropriate Guidance for CRC Screening Age, Role of Advocacy Organizations

This portion of our 5-part peer-to-peer discussion on the importance of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening focuses on appropriate guidance for screening age and the future of CRC advocacy in light of emerging technologies and evolving healthcare policies.

In this video, our moderator Michael Sapienza is joined by Frank Colangelo, MD, Gursimran Kochhar, MD, and Thomas Imperiale, MD, as the experts discuss current and prospective age-based screening recommendations as well as the importance of both awareness and navigation of screening.

Sapienza introduces the topic and inquires about the experts’ reactions to suggestions for lowering the screening age to younger than 45 years, to which Imperiale says he is “horrified” and describes how this would likely lead to more harm than benefits. Instead, he suggests “doing things that make the most sense first,” like making patients aware of symptoms that warrant testing.

Colangelo then poses a question to Sapienza regarding his outlook on the future of CRC screening, advocacy, and support from nonprofit organizations, to which Sapienza describes the significance of both awareness and navigation efforts from the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, additionally calling attention to the important role of risk stratification.

Check out the rest of our discussion:

Part 1: Updates in Colorectal Cancer Screening Recommendations

Part 2: Pressing Challenges in Colorectal Cancer Screening

Part 3: Reaching Patients in Need of Screening for Colorectal Cancer

Part 4: Navigating Patient Histories, Risk Factor Conversations in CRC Screening

Part 5: Appropriate Guidance for CRC Screening Age, Role of Advocacy Organizations

Our Experts:

Michael Sapienza, chief executive officer of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, the largest colon cancer advocacy group in the country, and member of the American Cancer Society’s National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable steering committee.

Frank Colangelo, MD, an internist, vice president, and chief quality officer for Premier Medical Associates, a large multispecialty group within Allegheny Health Network as well as a member of the American Cancer Society’s National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable steering committee.

Gursimran Kochhar, MD, a gastroenterologist, associate division chief of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and medical director of Endoscopic Innovations at Allegheny Health Network.

Thomas Imperiale, MD, principal investigator of the BLUE-C trial, research scientist at Regenstrief Institute, and Lawrence Lumeng Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Indiana University School of Medicine.

Imperiale has no relevant disclosures to report. Colangelo has no disclosures to report. Relevant disclosures for Kochhar include CorEvitas Research, Eli Lilly, Boston Scientific Endoscopy, Olympus Endoscopy, and Pentax Endoscopy. Sapienza has no relevant disclosures to report.