Geneoscopy Inc., a life sciences company focused on the development of diagnostic tests for gastrointestinal health, has released positive findings regarding the use of its RNA-FIT test for colorectal cancer detection, according to a news release.
Geneoscopy Inc. announced findings from an early cost-effectiveness modeling study that aimed to assess the total costs and health outcomes associated with the use of an investigational RNA-FIT biomarker panel versus multi-target stool DNA (mt-sDNA), fecal immunochemical test (FIT), and colonoscopy alone for the screening of colorectal cancer (CRC). Geneoscopy's RNA-FIT test is being evaluated as a potential noninvasive, at-home diagnostic screening test to detect colorectal neoplasms, including advanced adenomas, in average-risk individuals.
The study demonstrated that use of the RNA-FIT test could result in:
- A reduction in CRC cases of 17.6%, 59.5%, and 43.2% versus mt-sDNA, FIT, and colonoscopy, respectively.
- A reduction in CRC-related deaths of 18.1%, 60.6%, and 45.3% versus mt-sDNA, FIT, and colonoscopy, respectively.
- Fewer colonoscopies (compared to a colonoscopy-only screening program), with colonoscopies that detect advanced adenomas or CRC increasing from 14% to 35%.
- An increase in the number of screening colonoscopies following a positive test result by 362 and 919, per 1,000 patients over a 30-year time horizon, versus mt-sDNA and FIT, respectively, due to the higher number of pre-cancerous adenomas detected.
- A comparable cost to mt-sDNA, with an additional $207 per patient over a 30-year time horizon due to higher colonoscopy and surveillance costs. This is offset by lower costs associated with CRC diagnosis.
"Screening for CRC is critical for early detection and intervention, and it saves lives. Unfortunately, approximately 40% of people eligible for CRC screenings fail to get screened, in part due to the invasive and time-consuming nature of the gold-standard option – a colonoscopy. Noninvasive screening may serve as an alternative; however, available options have lower detection rates for pre-cancerous polyps," stated Haytham Gareer, MD, PhD, MBA, FACS, Chief Medical Officer for Geneoscopy and lead author on the poster. "The findings from this health outcomes analysis reinforce the potential for our RNA-FIT test to be a significant advancement in CRC screening by helping to reduce overall CRC cases and deaths while being affordable for patients."
To conduct the analysis, the model combined data on sensitivity, specificity, and compliance for each screening method with incidence and prevalence rates to assess each method's detection rates. Data on distribution across disease stages and five-year survival rates were used to determine long-term outcomes. The model also accounted for the cost of screening, complications associated with colonoscopy, surveillance programs, and the cost of CRC treatment.
