Editor’s note as of 11/29/21: This pilot has ended and it is no longer available.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University is the first academic medical center in the United States to utilize a new computer-aided system for screening colonoscopy in patients undergoing testing at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). 

Ohio State gastrointestinal cancer experts say that the introduction of this U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved technology represents a major leap forward in the early detection of colorectal cancer. Previously published, peer-reviewed medical studies suggest that this tool increases precancerous polyp (adenoma) detection rates by 14%, potentially leading to a 42% reduction in colorectal cancers. 

“This is truly a game-changer for early detection of colorectal cancer because it pairs the expertise of a highly trained physician with the power of artificial intelligence to identify potential high-risk lesions that may have gone undetected with the human eye alone,” says Dr. Darwin L. Conwell, director of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at the Ohio State College of Medicine. Conwell is a gastroenterologist at the OSUCCC – James and the Wexner Medical Center.

Although screening colonoscopy has been recommended since the late 1970s and has been shown to reduce colorectal cancer rates, colorectal cancer remains the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and second-leading cause of cancer-related death among men and women in the United States. An estimated one in three adults between the ages of 50 and 75 still do not obtain timely recommended screening exams. Black individuals have the highest incidence and mortality rates, with a 40% higher death rate compared with the national average.

“This health care disparity gap is even more profound among at-risk populations where social determinants of health impact both a person’s access and willingness to obtain timely cancer screening. We need to be aggressive and intentional in getting more people screened. Access to this new technology — in diverse neighborhoods across our city — is one step to help address this issue,” Conwell adds.

The American Cancer Society and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend that people of average risk start colorectal screening with either a sensitive stool-based test or visual exam (colonoscopy) at age 45. Lifetime risk for development of the disease is about 4.1% among men and women, according to National Cancer Institute surveillance data. More than 104,000 men and women are diagnosed with the disease annually in the United States.

While more common in adults over age 50, rates of colorectal cancer have been on the rise among patients under age 50.  

“We know that the majority, if not all, colorectal cancers develop from precancerous growths we call polyps, so identifying and addressing these areas before they can transform into cancer is a powerful tool in reducing the burden of cancer through prevention,” says Dr. Peter Stanich, an associate professor at the Ohio State College of Medicine and a gastroenterologist at the OSUCCC – James and the Wexner Medical Center.

About computer-aided colonoscopy

During the colonoscopy procedure, a long flexible tube (colonoscope) is inserted into the rectum. A tiny video camera at the tip of the tube allows the doctor to view the inside of the entire colon and remove concerning growths. This enhanced colonoscopy visualization module applies real-time data and deep computer learning to help gastroenterologists detect and treat concerning growths in the colorectal tract while they are in a precancerous state.

Computer-aided screening colonoscopy is being piloted at all Ohio State colorectal cancer screening locations, including University Hospital, Ohio State East Hospital and StoneRidge Endoscopy Center. To schedule a colorectal cancer screening, call 614-293-6255. To learn more about colorectal cancer treatment at the OSUCCC – James, visit cancer.osu.edu/coloncancer.

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