Colorectal Cancer Awareness
March is National Colorectal Cancer
Awareness Month
Mountaineer Community Health Center has received a three-year grant from the West Virginia Program to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening to increase knowledge about colorectal cancer prevention and increase colorectal cancer screening rates among the center’s and area’s population.
The West Virginia Program to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening (WVPICCS) focuses on increasing screening rates for people ages 45-75 in partnership with primary care clinics in West Virginia.
Colorectal cancer is one of the deadliest types of cancer in West Virginia, but it is preventable. With early screening, precancerous lesions can be detected to prevent colorectal cancer from developing.
Operated by WVU Cancer Institute Cancer Prevention and Control, WVPICCS partners with many primary care clinics throughout the state to increase screening rates using a systems change approach. From 2015-2020, WVPICCS partnered with 44 clinics, including federally-qualified health centers, safety-net free clinics, community health centers, and a county health department. Participating clinics increased average screening rates by 45 percent, screening an additional 100,000 West Virginians for colorectal cancer. The project has trained more than 600 healthcare providers and provided over 700 hours of technical assistance.
WVPICCS currently partners with 20 primary care clinics throughout the state. The goal is to help clinics put strategies in place to increase their colorectal cancer screening by at least 15 percent over baseline or higher. WVPICCS collaborates with partner clinics through training and ongoing technical assistance to:
• Assess and enhance current screening practices
• Enhance health information technology and electronic health record use
• Adhere to current guidelines for screening and surveillance
• Engage in evidence-based interventions, such as client reminders, provider assessment and feedback, provider reminder/recall systems, reducing structural barriers, and patient navigation
• Increase follow-up and rescreening schedules
In addition to working directly with participating providers, WVPICCS aims to increase colorectal cancer education with targeted patient and public awareness via tailored print materials. A statewide colorectal roundtable also meets each year to bring together advocates, healthcare providers, payers, and the public health sector.
A screening test is used to look for cancer when a person doesn’t have symptoms. Regular screening should begin at age 45 and continue through age 75. This is key to preventing colorectal cancer. There are several types of screening tests including a stool-based test that can be done at home annually (Fecal Immunochemical Test) or a hospital-based test (colonoscopy) done every ten years if no polyps are found. You may need to be tested earlier than 45 if you have a personal or family history of colorectal polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, or a genetic syndrome such as Lynch syndrome. Talk with your healthcare provider to determine which test is best for you.
The WVPICCS is supported by funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.