Addressing Early Cancer Detection and Education

Addressing Early Cancer Detection and Education

The results Sandra Smith received after taking a home test for colorectal cancer stunned her.

The abnormal results came from a fecal immunochemical test, known as FIT kit, she picked up at the Blue Door Neighborhood Center℠ in Chicago's Morgan Park neighborhood.

A previous test had shown she was cancer-free, but that was years ago.

"I took my results to my doctor, and he did all the tests to rule out cancer," says Smith, 75, a frequent BDNC program participant. "Everything came back great."

The colorectal cancer screening initiative was launched three years ago by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois to improve early cancer detection, as well as health outcomes in some of Chicago's most underserved communities. The centers partnered with the American Cancer Society, Colorectal Cancer Alliance, Gilda's Club and Sinai Chicago to offer free FIT kits and colorectal cancer education to visitors at all three centers.

BCBSIL member Sandra Smith often participates in programs at the Blue Door Neighborhood Center in Morgan Park.

More than 3,000 visitors received FIT kits before the initiative ended this fall. Smith was among almost 50 people whose tests required follow-up testing.

"Many of these people would never have gotten screened if they hadn't been able to do this in their own home," says Laron Taylor, director of the Blue Door Neighborhood Center. "This simple stool test saves lives, and people see the value in that."

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. More than 157,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2025.

With early detection, colorectal cancer can be treated more effectively. But symptoms often don't appear until after the cancer has grown or spread when it becomes more difficult to treat.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends colorectal cancer screening for adults ages 45 to 75.

About 70% of Americans between 50 and 75 have been screened, according to the most recent federal data. But that means millions have not. One in 3 adults are not following recommended screening guidelines.

The FIT kit is one of the least invasive and effective screening tests used to find polyps or colorectal cancer.

With a FIT kit, a stick or brush is used to collect a small stool sample, which is returned to a doctor or lab where the sample is checked for blood - which could be an early sign of colorectal cancer. A colonoscopy is recommended as a follow-up test if a FIT kit detects blood.

The test must be repeated annually.

Appreciation for testing and follow-up

Smith spent a recent afternoon line dancing and learning about nutrition at the Morgan Park BDNC. With a friend's encouragement, she started going to the center to meet people and try new things following her husband's death two years ago.

Although her FIT kit results startled her, Smith says her doctor appreciated that she took the test and followed up with him.

"He told me my results made it possible for him to order additional testing," Smith says, which led him to find other conditions he needed to treat. "The Blue Door centers have been my lifesavers. I've made such wonderful friends. And I've learned so much stuff I didn't know."