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Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of death in men and women, and an estimated 10.5% of new colorectal cancer cases occur in people younger than 50. Fortunately, there’s a secret weapon to beat it: screening.

As of 2018, the American Cancer Society recommends regular screening starting at age 45 for average-risk individuals. Ask your doctor when and which type of screening is right for you.

“Colorectal cancer is one of the few cancers that is preventable by screening,” says Shari Stanley, RN, Colorectal Screening Program Coordinator. “We can estimate that at least 50% of deaths — maybe more — from colorectal cancer are preventable with screening.”

Stanley she has a background in oncology and primary care, and she is passionate about preventing colorectal cancer. During Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March (and beyond!), she is an in-house resource for team members. Stanley is available to answer questions about colon cancer, risk factors, and insurance coverage, and she is hand-delivering free fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) to qualified team members on a UVA health plan.

The FIT is an annual, at-home, stool test, and this year, UVA Health debuted a new, more accurate FIT called the Polymedco OC-Auto® FIT kit. The Polymedco FIT has a 95% overall accuracy for detecting colorectal cancer. With a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 96%, it is the highest sensitivity and specificity of all the FITs available in the United States, according to the U.S. Preventative Task Force.

To inquire about the test or ask a question, contact crcscreening@virginia.edu or 434.297.8427.

What’s the FIT Like?

UVA Health team members shared their experience with the FIT, and it turns out, the experience is not that bad. Here is what they had to say:

“I encourage everyone who is eligible to participate in the FIT program to take advantage of this important screening opportunity,” says Meg Keeley, MD, Interim Senior Associate Dean for Education, School of Medicine. “I have participated for the last two years, and it could not be easier or more convenient. The instructions are straightforward, and you collect your sample at home. Your results come back quickly to MyChart and can be shared with your care provider.”

Nicole Mohiuddin, Senior Information Technology Analyst – Business Systems, found the test easy to complete as well. “I was pleasantly surprised how easy and convenient the test was,” she says. “I chose the FIT because I could perform the test at home and mail the sample afterwards. No prep needed.”

UVA Health Plans Cover Screening

Did you know all UVA Health Plan members (Basic, Value, and Choice) have full coverage for colorectal cancer screening?

“The level of coverage for colorectal cancer screening with UVA’s Aetna plans is unprecedented,” says Stanley. Team members can call the number on the back of their insurance card for more information.

UVA supports four ways for covered team members to get screened:

• FIT (at-home stool test)
• Colonoscopy
• CT colonography
• Cologuard (at-home stool test)

UVA health plans recognize the American Cancer Society’s recommended screening age of 45, but individuals on other plans should check with their insurance company for the screening coverage age.