What the trial was testing
The SCORE enrolled 4,318 patients with colorectal cancer. The study was sponsored by UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
Researchers followed patients through treatment and into recovery, tracking the outcomes that mattered most for the disease being studied.
What the results showed
30% of patients who got mailed kits completed screening, compared to just 10% with usual care alone.
JAMA network open · 2024 · NCT04406714
These findings — that patients who received mailed colon cancer test kits were three times more likely to complete screening — were published in the JAMA network open and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 4,318 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with colorectal cancer, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
If you're overdue for colon cancer screening and haven't heard from your doctor, ask if your clinic offers mailed test kits. This study showed that sending kits directly to patients' homes made it much easier to get screened — no appointment needed. The test is simple: you collect a small stool sample at home and mail it back. If you test positive, a care navigator can help you schedule a colonoscopy.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open colorectal cancer trials
Non Inferiority Study of Preoperative Chemotherapy Without Pelvic Irradiation for Rectal Cancer
This study is a non-inferiority phase III randomised trial comparing preoperative chemotherapy alone (modified FOLFIRINOX) to chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy in patients with primary resectable locally advanced rectal cancer. The primary endpoint of the study is 3-year progression free survival. Expected 3 year PFS rate in the preoperative chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy arm is 75%. This hazard rate, in an exponential survival model, corresponds to a decrease in the 3-year PFS rate on the preoperative chemotherapy arm to 67%. The study will randomize 540 patients (270 in the chemotherapy group and 270 in the chemoradiotherapy group) in 42 french academic centers.
CRC Screening in Unscreened Individuals 45-54
The goal of this observational study is to understand the barriers and facilitators to completing colorectal cancer screening from the patient and community health center staff perspective. The main question it aims to answer is to identify system-level determinants of colorectal cancer screening in individuals aged 45 to 54. Participants will be asked to partake in one-time interviews either online or in-person and community health center staff will also be asked to take an online survey.