Impact of SMS Messaging on Participation in Colorectal Cancer Screening
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Text Messaging, Standard invitation and postal reminder letters.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Colorectal Neoplasms, Early Detection of Cancer. Basic parameters: 50 years — 69 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Spain
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
Impact of SMS Notifications on the Colorectal Cancer Screening Program
Overview
Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of mortality in Catalonia. Although early detection programs using the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) are effective in reducing both incidence and mortality, their success relies on high population participation. Currently, in the Vallès Occidental region, the participation rate stands at 42%, which is below the 65% minimum recommended by European health authorities. The objective of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate whether sending a reminder text message (SMS) is an effective tool to increase participation in the screening program. The study will include 10,084 participants aged between 50 and 69 years. Half of the participants will receive a reminder SMS five weeks after their initial invitation, while the other half will follow the standard of care involving postal letters. Researchers anticipate that this strategy will not only increase the number of individuals undergoing screening but also shorten the response time and reduce the need for sending postal reminders
Detailed description
This study is a pragmatic, randomized, parallel-group clinical trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio, conducted within the framework of the Colorectal Cancer Early Detection Program (PDPCCR) in the Vallès Occidental region. The trial is coordinated by the Cancer Screening Unit of the Consorci Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí.
Operational Flow and Randomization: The study follows a sequential recruitment process. At Week 0, the entire target population receives a standard invitation letter according to the program's usual standard of care. For individuals who have not participated by Week 5, a computer-generated randomization sequence (Microsoft Excel) is applied weekly to assign them to either the intervention or control group. This weekly approach ensures the intervention is timely and integrated into the program's existing administrative workflow.
Intervention Logistics: The Intervention Group receives a one-way SMS reminder sent via the 'Alhora' platform, the secure institutional messaging system used by the screening program. The content of the SMS was previously optimized and validated through a qualitative pilot study involving semi-structured interviews to ensure high readability and cultural acceptability among the target population. Non-participants in both groups receive the standard postal reminder letter at Week 6.
Statistical Analysis Plan: The analysis will be conducted on both an intent-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol basis. Descriptive statistics will report frequencies and medians with interquartile ranges (25th-75th percentiles). Bivariate analysis will utilize Chi-square tests for participation rates and the Mann-Whitney U test for response time differences. To estimate the effect size, Relative Risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals will be calculated. Furthermore, a multivariate binary logistic regression will be performed using Jamovi software to adjust for potential confounders such as sex, age, geographic area, and history of previous participation
Interventions
- Behavioral Text Messaging
Behavioral intervention consisting of a one-way short message service (SMS) text message sent to the mobile phones of participants who have not completed the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) following the initial invitation. A single SMS reminder is sent exactly 5 weeks after the issuance of the standard invitation letter, one week prior to the scheduled postal reminder. Delivery is centrally managed through the secure 'Alhora' messaging platform. The message format is validated through a qualita - Behavioral Standard invitation and postal reminder letters
Control intervention based on the colorectal cancer screening program's usual standard of care. Components and Timing: 1. Delivery of a nominal invitation letter at week 0, including program information and instructions for collecting the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit at community pharmacies. 2. In the event of non-participation, delivery of a physical postal reminder letter at week 6. Duration: Participation follow-up for both components concludes 3 months after the initial invitation.
Primary outcome measures
- Participation rate [Time frame: 3 months after the initial invitation]
Secondary outcome measures (2)
- Time to participation [Time frame: 3 months after the initial invitation (at the conclusion of the study follow-up).]
- Number of reminder letters sent [Time frame: 3 months after the initial invitation.]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Women and men aged 50 to 69 years.
- Residents of the Vallès Occidental area.
- Individuals invited to the Colorectal Cancer Screening Program (PDPCCR) who have not participated within 5 weeks of the initial invitation.
Exclusion criteria
- Personal history of colorectal cancer.
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Colorectal polyps requiring specific clinical follow-up.
- Hereditary polyposis syndromes.
- High-risk family history of colorectal cancer: a first-degree relative diagnosed before age 50, or two or more first-degree relatives at any age.
- Severe morbidity that precludes the performance of a colonoscopy in the event of a positive test result.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
Study locations
Spain · 1 center
- Unitat de Cribratge de Cáncer, Consorci Corporació Sanitaria Parc Taulí — Sabadell
Publications
- Hewitson P, Glasziou P, Irwig L, Towler B, Watson E. Screening for colorectal cancer using the faecal occult blood test, Hemoccult. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Jan 24;2007(1):CD001216. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001216.pub2. PMID 17253456
- Mandel JS, Church TR, Bond JH, Ederer F, Geisser MS, Mongin SJ, Snover DC, Schuman LM. The effect of fecal occult-blood screening on the incidence of colorectal cancer. N Engl J Med. 2000 Nov 30;343(22):1603-7. doi: 10.1056/NEJM200011303432203. PMID 11096167
- Shaukat A, Mongin SJ, Geisser MS, Lederle FA, Bond JH, Mandel JS, Church TR. Long-term mortality after screening for colorectal cancer. N Engl J Med. 2013 Sep 19;369(12):1106-14. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1300720. PMID 24047060
- Schliemann D, Tan MM, Hoe WMK, Mohan D, Taib NA, Donnelly M, Su TT. mHealth Interventions to Improve Cancer Screening and Early Detection: Scoping Review of Reviews. J Med Internet Res. 2022 Aug 15;24(8):e36316. doi: 10.2196/36316. PMID 35969450
- Uy C, Lopez J, Trinh-Shevrin C, Kwon SC, Sherman SE, Liang PS. Text Messaging Interventions on Cancer Screening Rates: A Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res. 2017 Aug 24;19(8):e296. doi: 10.2196/jmir.7893. PMID 28838885
- Camilloni L, Ferroni E, Cendales BJ, Pezzarossi A, Furnari G, Borgia P, Guasticchi G, Giorgi Rossi P; Methods to increase participation Working Group. Methods to increase participation in organised screening programs: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2013 May 13;13:464. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-464. PMID 23663511
- Vives N, Vidal C, de Guzman EN, Farre A, Panera JA, Binefa G, Garcia M; M-TICS research group. The use of text messages as an alternative invitation method for breast cancer screening: A randomized controlled trial (M-TICS study). PLoS One. 2024 Aug 29;19(8):e0306720. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306720. eCollection 2024. PMID 39208325
- Vives N, Travier N, Farre A, Binefa G, Vidal C, Perez Lacasta MJ, Ibanez-Sanz G, Nino de Guzman EP, Panera JA, Garcia M; M-TICS Research Group. Effectiveness and Acceptability of Targeted Text Message Reminders in Colorectal Cancer Screening: Randomized Controlled Trial (M-TICS Study). JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2024 Jul 31;10:e57959. doi: 10.2196/57959. PMID 39083331
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07628998 · 2026.054-30