Symptomatic FIT for Colon Cancer Detection, a Pilot Study - NCT07927270

Sponsor: University of California, San Diego Conditions: Colorectal Cancer, Diagnosis, Advanced Colorectal Neoplasia This pilot study will assess whether a larger study of stool testing for colorectal cancer is practical. It plans to enroll 40 adults born in 1960 or later who have new symptoms that could be related to colorectal cancer. Participants will collect a stool sample at home using a fecal immunochemical test (FIT), complete a questionnaire, and undergo blood tests and colonoscopy as part of their usual medical care. Researchers will compare research FIT results with colonoscopy findings and assess recruitment, sample collection, and completion of study activities. Research FIT results will not routinely be shared with participants or their clinicians. If a research FIT result is abnormal and colonoscopy has not been completed within six months, the study team will notify the primary care provider to encourage colonoscopy follow-up. This prospective pilot cohort study will evaluate the feasibility of implementing a symptomatic FIT research strategy in the UC San Diego Health system. Recruitment will use electronic health record screening and clinician and patient outreach. Consented participants will provide an at-home stool specimen for research FIT testing and questionnaire data. Usual-care complete blood count, ferritin, and colonoscopy findings will be collected. Feasibility assessments include recruitment, enrollment, stool specimen return, and completion of study activities. Preliminary FIT performance will be assessed against adequate-quality usual-care colonoscopy completed within six months of FIT. A transition from UCSD laboratory FIT testing to quantitative research FIT testing performed by Polymedco is planned, conditional on IRB approval and execution of the required institutional agreement. Participants using the quantitative FIT kit will mail specimens directly to Polymedco. Specimens and results will be coded by study ID, and the linkage key will remain at UCSD without Polymedco access. The study is supported by a gift from Curebound.