Omission of CT Colonography from USPSTF List may harm Efforts to Increase Cancer Screening Rates

According to the American College of Radiology (ACR), the omission of virtual colonoscopy from the latest draft of the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF; Washington DC, USA) Colorectal Cancer (CRC) screening recommendations could prevent access to CRC screening for some patients.

According to the ACR, the omission could slow efforts to raise colorectal cancer screening rates in the US, and could result in many unnecessary deaths and unnecessary healthcare costs. The new draft recommendations could affect US Medicare insurance coverage, and prevent patient’s access to the procedure.

The results of a study published recently in the journal Abdominal Imaging reports that Computed Tomography (CT) screening would cost 29% less, and save up to USD 1.7 billion per screening cycle compared to optical colonoscopy. The study showed that 33% or patients that need screening do not want or are unable to get a colonoscopy. Other studies have shown that the availability of virtual colonoscopy can increase CRC screening rates significantly, leading to less CRC deaths. In addition virtual colonoscopy can also find cancers and other serious diseases in other organs, for example abdominal aortic aneurysms, does not result in a significant number of incidental findings.

Judy Yee, MD, FACR, chair of the American College of Radiology Colon Cancer Committee, said, “This USPSTF draft recommendation could restrict access to a major tool to help achieve the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable goal of an 80 percent colorectal cancer screening rate by 2018. As a result, thousands may continue to die each year that could be saved through more widespread screening enabled by CT colonography.”

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