A team of HPDP researchers, in collaboration with researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, has received a five-year, $3 million R01 grant from the National Cancer Institute to study the impact of colorectal cancer screening delivered through community pharmacies in North Carolina and Washington State. This research study will specifically explore whether a pharmacy-based distribution approach can increase access to colorectal cancer screening among medically underserved populations.
Medically underserved populations are disproportionately affected by cancers, such as colorectal cancer, that can be detected early through screening. While fecal testing can be an effective way to screen for colorectal cancer, it is not always prioritized during regular medical visits. This study explores whether making at-home fecal testing available through non-traditional healthcare settings can increase access and help improve colorectal cancer outcomes.
“What we’re seeing is that even patients who regularly attend medical visits may miss out on preventative cancer screenings due to short visit times and competing demands among providers and patients alike. We’re hopeful that community pharmacies can fill the gap in providing preventative screenings for colorectal cancer, and this study will help us understand the effectiveness and feasibility of this approach,” said Dr. Alison Brenner, assistant professor of cancer prevention and control.
Brenner will serve as multiple principal investigator with Dr. Parth Shah at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. The research team will include HPDP researchers and staff, Drs. Stephanie Wheeler, Jennifer Leeman, and Ms. Mary Wangen, and an interdisciplinary team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.
The research team will distribute at-home colorectal cancer fecal tests through a nationwide network of community pharmacies. With funding from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network, the research team developed this model, called PharmFIT™, to identify ways to make preventive cancer screening more accessible to medically underserved populations. This study will then assess whether PharmFIT™ is effective in not only distributing preventative cancer screening but also increasing use of these screening.
“Fortunately, colorectal cancer can be detected and therefore treated at a very early stage,” said Dr. Parth Shah, an assistant professor in the Public Health Sciences Division at Fred Hutch. “Now, we need to make sure everyone—especially those populations who have historically lacked equitable health care—can access preventative screenings for colorectal cancer within their own community.”
Dr. Alison Brenner, PhD, MPH, is a research assistant professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology. Dr. Brenner is the deputy director of the Carolina Cancer Screening Initiative, a multiple principal investigator for the Comprehensive Cancer Control Collaborative of North Carolina (4CNC), an associate member of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and a research fellow at the Sheps Center and the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
Dr. Jennifer Leeman, DrPH, MPH, MDiv, is an associate dean for research and a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Nursing. Dr. Leeman is a co-investigator for the Comprehensive Cancer Control Collaborative of North Carolina (4CNC) and is a research fellow at the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
Dr. Parth Shah, PharmD, PhD, is an assistant professor with the Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research (HICOR) and the Cancer Prevention Program in the Public Health Sciences Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.
Dr. Stephanie Wheeler, PhD, MPH, is a Michael S. O’Malley distinguished professor at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Public Health in the Department of Health Policy and Management. Dr. Wheeler is the associate director of community outreach and engagement for the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, the principal investigator for the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network, and a research fellow at the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.