Population-based case-control study of association of participating in FIT screening and risk of colorectal cancer death

The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is widely used for colorectal cancer screening, but evidence of its effectiveness is limited. A population-based nested case-control study of screening-eligible people was conducten in 2 large, integrated health systems of racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse members with long-term programs of mailed FIT-screening outreach in the United States. In this study of 10,711 individuals, completing a FIT to screen for colorectal cancer was associated with a reduction in risk of dying from colorectal cancer of 33% (aOR 0.67; 95% CI 0.59-0.76) and a 42% (0.58; 0.48-0.71) lower risk for left colon and rectum cancers. FIT screening was associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer death among non-Hispanic Asian, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White people. The authors conclude that this study provides evidence that FIT screening lowers the risk of dying from colorectal cancer.