Anderson, Joseph C.

Background: Fecal immunochemical tests (FITs), fecal occult blood tests (FOBTs), and multitarget stool DNA (mt-sDNA) tests are convenient, noninvasive colorectal cancer (CRC) screening strategies. However, delays in or failure to complete follow-up colonoscopy (FU-CY) after a positive noninvasive test are associated with higher CRC incidence, complications, and mortality. We sought to evaluate FU-CY rates, time to colonoscopy, and compliance predictors. Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort study linked 2 data sources: Komodo Health Data with Exact Sciences Laboratories. Data were collected from January 2016 to June 2023 and analyzed in 2024. Study participants (ages 45–75 years) were individuals with positive stool-based CRC screening tests (FIT, guaiac-based FOBT, or mt-sDNA tests). FU-CY compliance was assessed at 30-day intervals up to 365 days, and logistic regression was used to identify predictors of FU-CY. Results: Among 362,646 participants, colonoscopy compliance was 77.1% for mt-sDNA and 45.1% for FIT/FOBT ( P <.001). Overall FU-CY compliance was lowest among Asian and Black populations, but was significantly higher in these subgroups for mt-sDNA versus FIT (Asian: 74.2% vs 41.1%; Black: 71.3% vs 44.6%). The strongest predictor of compliance was use of mt-sDNA (odds ratio, 3.98; P <.001). More than half of participants across all race groups who completed FU-CY after mt-sDNA did so within the first 120 days, whereas none of the FIT/FOBT racial subgroups reached 50% completion within 365 days. Conclusions: Timely completion of colonoscopy after a noninvasive test is critical, as failure to undergo colonoscopy or delays in completion are associated with increased CRC incidence and more advanced-stage disease. These findings demonstrate that mt-sDNA use may help close CRC screening disparity gaps compared with FIT testing. FU-CY adherence is higher, and time to colonoscopy is shorter following a positive mt-sDNA test versus FIT across all racial and ethnic subgroups.

e15647 Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening offers an opportunity to prevent invasive disease by detecting and removing precancerous lesions. Colonoscopy-based detection of adenomas and serrated polyps is strongly associated with reduced risk of interval CRC. While the performance of noninvasive CRC screening tests is well described, comparative evidence on adenoma detection across screening colonoscopy and stool-based strategies with follow-up colonoscopy remains limited. We conducted a systematic review to compare adenoma detection across CRC screening modalities. Methods: MEDLINE (PubMed) and Embase were searched from January 1, 2000, through July 10, 2025, for peer-reviewed, U.S.-based studies reporting colonoscopy among average-risk adults aged ≥45 years, who underwent screening colonoscopy or follow-up colonoscopy after a positive stool-based screening test [fecal immunochemical test (FIT) or multi-target stool DNA (mt-sDNA) test]. The primary outcome was the detection of one or more adenomas at colonoscopy. High-risk or surveillance cohorts, AI-assisted colonoscopy, diagnostic accuracy trials, and non-U.S. studies were excluded. Results: Among 7,710 de-duplicated records, 147 studies underwent full-text review, and 47 studies were included in quantitative synthesis, with reported adenoma detection for screening colonoscopy alone (n = 31), follow-up colonoscopy after a positive FIT alone (n = 4), follow-up colonoscopy after a positive mt-sDNA test alone (n = 4), and for more than one of the screening strategies of interest (n = 8). Across included studies, overall adenoma detection differed by screening pathway. Follow-up colonoscopy after a positive mt-sDNA test demonstrated the highest adenoma detection (66.3%; 95% CI, 61.2-71.1), with lower adenoma detection observed for colonoscopy after a positive FIT (50.6%; 95% CI, 43.4-57.8) and screening colonoscopy alone (33.8%; 95% CI, 30.9-36.8) (Table 1). Conclusions: Detection of adenomas was highest following colonoscopy performed after a positive mt-sDNA test compared with FIT-positive follow-up or screening colonoscopy alone. These findings highlight differences in downstream detection across CRC screening tests and suggest that, in settings where colonoscopy resources are constrained, initial mt-sDNA screening with timely follow-up colonoscopy may help prioritize patients most likely to benefit. CRC screening modality No. of Studies Adenoma detected Study population Proportion, % (95% CI) Heterogeneity, I² (%) Between-study variance (τ 2 ) P-value* mt-sDNA 8 17,436 29,098 66.3 (61.2-71.1) 94.6 0.0924 <0.0001 FIT 11 17,588 32,630 50.6 (43.4-57.8) 94.0 0.2187 <0.0001 Screening colonoscopy 38 2,351,801 6,378,891 33.8 (30.9-36.8) 99.8 0.1710 NA *P-value represents adenoma detection vs. screening colonoscopy adenoma detection.

Background: Consequences of physician burnout include medical errors, higher rate of staff turnover, and decreased patient satisfaction. We examined the prevalence of burnout and identified the contributing factors in gastroenterologists and fellows in training. Methods: We performed 3 separate surveys through the American College of Gastroenterology. (1) A national survey of practicing gastroenterologists in the United States that measured burnout and contributing factors, (2) a survey of gastroenterology fellows in training to determine self-identified burnout, as well as mitigating and exacerbating factors, and (3) a follow-up survey of fellows during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: One thousand and twenty-one persons responded (9.2% response rate) to the first survey, including 756 individuals who completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory survey. Overall, the prevalence of high burnout was 49.3%. Factors associated with high burnout included female sex, younger age, shorter duration in practice, considering the electronic health record non–user-friendly, 2 or more hours of patient-related work at home per day, 8 or more hours of outpatient time per day, 6 or more inpatient consults per day, taking call with procedures 10 or more times per year, and having children at home. With regard to lifestyle factors, taking 20 days or more of vacation time was associated with a lower rate of burnout. The level of burnout for fellows was observed to be high (42.7% in survey 2 and 35.3% in survey 3). Conclusions: Burnout is high in gastroenterologists and fellows in training. Specific contributing factors were both systems based and personal and provide insight into changes that can be made to address burnout.

Abstract Background: Stool-based screening with fecal immunochemical (FIT) or multitarget-stool DNA (mt-sDNA) tests is associated with increased colonoscopy polyp yield. mt-sDNA includes methylated markers, which improve detection of serrated polyps (SP) versus FIT. We compared SP detection in colonoscopies performed for positive FIT or mt-sDNA tests, as well as in colonoscopies without a preceding stool test, using the New Hampshire Colonoscopy Registry, a comprehensive statewide population-based registry. Methods: Across the three groups, we compared the frequency of clinically relevant SPs (CRSP: sessile SPs, hyperplastic polyps ≥10 mm, and traditional serrated adenomas). We also compared SP size, histology, number, and bulk (combined sizes). Results: Our sample included 560 mt-sDNA+ (age ± SD: 66.5 ± 7.9), 414 FIT+ (age ± SD: 66.3 ± 8.8), and 59,438 colonoscopy-only patients (age ± SD: 61.7 ± 8.0). mt-sDNA+ patients were more likely to have a higher yield of CRSPs and CRSP bulk than FIT+ (P &lt; 0.0001) or colonoscopy-only patients (P &lt; 0.0001). More mt-sDNA+ patients had CRSPs without large adenomas or colorectal cancers (17.9% vs. 9.9% of FIT+ and 8% of colonoscopy-only patients). After adjusting for synchronous large adenomas, colorectal cancers, and other risk factors, mt-sDNA+ patients were more likely (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.18–2.85) than FIT+ patients to have CRSPs. Conclusions: mt-sDNA+ patients had a higher SP yield than FIT+ or colonoscopy-only patients, particularly in the absence of synchronous large adenomas or colorectal cancer. Impact: Our results suggest that screening with mt-sDNA tests could improve colorectal cancer screening by identifying more patients at increased risk from the serrated pathway.

Background Our goal was to compare the updated European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and United States Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer (USMSTF) high risk groups in predicting metachronous advanced neoplasia on first follow-up colonoscopy and long-term colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods We compared advanced metachronous neoplasia risk (serrated polyps ≥ 1 cm or with dysplasia, advanced adenomas [≥ 1 cm, villous, high grade dysplasia], CRC) on first surveillance colonoscopy in patients with high risk findings according to ESGE versus USMSTF guidelines. We also compared the positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) of both guidelines for metachronous neoplasia. Results The risk for metachronous neoplasia in our sample (n = 20 458) was higher in the high risk USMSTF (3 year) (13.6 %; 95 %CI 12.3–14.9) and ESGE groups (13.6 %; 95 %CI 12.3–15.0) compared with the lowest risk USMSTF (5.1 %; 95 %CI 4.7–5.5; P < 0.001) and ESGE categories (6.3 %; 95 %CI 6.0–6.7; P < 0.001), respectively. Adding other groups such as USMSTF 5–10-year and 3–5-year groups to the 3-year category resulted in minimal change in the PPV and NPV for metachronous advanced neoplasia. High risk ESGE (hazard ratio [HR] 3.03, 95 %CI 1.97–4.65) and USMSTF (HR 3.07, 95 %CI 2.03–4.66) designations were associated with similar long-term CRC risk (CRC per 100 000 person-years: USMSTF 3-year group 3.54, 95 %CI 2.68–4.68; ESGE high risk group: 3.43, 95 %CI 2.57–4.59). Conclusion Performance characteristics for the ESGE and USMSTF recommendations are similar in predicting metachronous advanced neoplasia and long-term CRC. The addition of risk groups, such as the USMSTF 5–10-year and 3–5-year groups to the USMSTF 3-year category did not alter the PPV or NPV significantly.

Abstract Few studies compare fecal immunochemical test (FIT) and multi-target stool DNA (mt-sDNA) outcomes in practice. We compared colonoscopy yield following FIT+ or mt-sDNA+ tests to colonoscopies without preceding stool tests in the comprehensive population-based New Hampshire Colonoscopy Registry (NHCR). Outcomes were any neoplasia and an ordered outcome: adenocarcinoma, advanced neoplasia (adenoma/serrated polyp ≥ 1 cm/villous/high-grade dysplasia), nonadvanced neoplasia, or normal. Our total sample included 306 mt-sDNA+ (average age ± SD 67.0 ± 7.9), 276 FIT+ (66.6 ± 8.7), and 50,990 colonoscopy-only patients (61.8 ± 8.1). Among average-risk patients (N = 240 mt-sDNA+, N = 194 FIT+, N = 26,221 colonoscopy only), mt-sDNA+ patients had a higher risk for any neoplasia (67.1%) compared with FIT+ (54.6%, P = 0.00098) or colonoscopy (40.8%, P &lt; 0.0001). Severity of findings and histology subtypes differed across the three groups (P &lt; 0.0001 for both), with a higher yield of advanced findings in mt-sDNA+ patients. In particular, clinically relevant serrated polyps (hyperplastic polyps ≥10 mm/traditional serrated adenomas/sessile serrated polyps) were detected at a higher frequency in mt-sDNA+ patients as compared with FIT+ or colonoscopy-only patients. Even after adjustment, patients with positive mt-sDNA [OR = 2.82; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.00–4.02] or FIT+ tests (OR = 1.67; 95% CI, 1.19–2.36) were more likely to have histologically more advanced findings than colonoscopy alone. At follow-up colonoscopy, mt-sDNA+ tests were more likely to predict neoplasia than FIT+, largely due to increased detection of serrated polyps. Prevention Relevance: Colorectal cancer screening options include colonoscopy and stool-based tests, including the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) and the multi-target stool DNA (mt-sDNA) test which, if positive, must be followed by a colonoscopy. Assessing “real-world” outcomes of colonoscopies following positive stool tests can inform their clinical use. See related Spotlight, p. 417