A one-size-fits-all approach to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening has not and is unlikely to result in increased screening uptake or desired outcomes owing to barriers stemming from behavioral, cultural and socioeconomic causes, especially when combined with inefficiencies in deployment of screening technologies. Overcoming these barriers will require the following:
1. Efficient utilization of multiple screening modalities to achieve increased uptake.
2. Continued development of noninvasive screening tests, with iterative reassessments of how best to integrate new technologies.
3. Improved personal risk assessment to better risk-stratify patients for appropriate screening testing paradigms. Development of structured organized screening programs, rather than solely opportunistic screening driven by provider recommendation, ultimately will be needed to achieve target screening rates and reductions in CRC morbidity and mortality.
