Community Collaboration to Advance Racial/Ethnic Equity in CRC Screening (CARES)

December 8, 2025 updated by: Jennifer S Haas, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital
The goal of this pragmatic randomized clinical trial is to compare two colorectal (CRC) screening outreach approaches (FIT and Cologuard) in community health centers (CHC) in patients overdue for CRC screening. The main questions the project aims to answer are: What screening test has a higher completion rate? What screening test is more feasible and acceptable in a CHC setting? Patients will be sent a CRC screening test in the mail and will be asked to complete it at home and mail it back. Researchers will compare the completion rates for each screening test and will also look at the overall completion rate of both tests.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This is a 3-year pragmatic trial with four levels of intervention, including system-, provider-, patient-, and community-level components at each of the CARES clinical sites. Health system components will include the development and implementation of a CRC screening registry and tracking database to systematically and actively track patients overdue for screening, screening test completion, and abnormal screening results. Data systems will be coupled with process re-design to improve clinical workflow for screening outreach. Providers will receive educational support through a training session about the importance of CRC screening, screening test options, population management, and an instructional on how to complete a Cologuard kit (Cologuard arm only) or a FIT kit (FIT arm only). Patient components of the intervention vary by study arm. In sites randomized to Cologuard, patients will receive a mailed Cologuard kit and the Exact Sciences patient support program. Patients in clinics randomized to FIT will receive a mailed FIT kit with systematic reminders. Patients who test positive will be offered patient navigation to assist with completing a diagnostic colonoscopy.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
5127

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90095-1772
        • UCLA
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02114
        • Mass General Brigham
    • South Dakota
      • Rapid City, South Dakota, United States, 57703
        • Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

45 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Age 45-75
  2. Has had a visit at a participating community clinic within the last two years.
  3. Alive
  4. Patient's preferred language is English or Spanish

Exclusion Criteria:

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Has Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's disease documented in the problem list. (Codes below).
  2. Has colorectal cancer documented in the problem list. (Codes below).
  3. Has had a FIT in the past 1 year
  4. Has had a colonoscopy in the past 10 years

ICD-10 codes for exclusion criteria:

Ulcerative colitis:

  • K51.0
  • K51.2
  • K51.3
  • K51.4
  • K51.5
  • K51.8
  • K51.9
  • K52.8
  • K52.9

Crohn's disease:

  • K50.0
  • K50.1
  • K50.8
  • K50.9

Colorectal cancer

  • C18 (malignant neoplasm of colon)
  • C18.0 (malignant neoplasm of cecum)
  • C18.1 (malignant neoplasm of appendix)
  • C18.2 (malignant neoplasm of ascending colon)
  • C18.3 (malignant neoplasm of hepatic flexure)
  • C18.4 (malignant neoplasm of transverse colon)
  • C18.5 (malignant neoplasm of splenic flexure)
  • C18.6 (malignant neoplasm of descending colon)
  • C18.7 (malignant neoplasm of sigmoid colon)
  • C18.8 (malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of colon)
  • C18.9 (malignant neoplasm of colon, unspecified)
  • C19 (malignant neoplasm of rectosigmoid junction)
  • C20 (malignant neoplasm of rectum)
  • C21.8 (malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of rectum, anus and anal canal)
  • C26.0 (malignant neoplasm of intestinal tract, part unspecified)
  • C78.5 (secondary malignant neoplasm of large intestine and rectum)
  • C78.6 (secondary malignant neoplasm of retroperitoneum and peritoneum)
  • D37.4 (neoplasm of uncertain behavior of colon)
  • D37.5 (neoplasm of uncertain behavior of rectum)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Screening
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Mailed FIT Kit
A FIT kit mailed to the patient's home
Other: FIT kit Screening Test
FIT kit mailed to the patient's home
Active Comparator: Cologuard
A Cologuard test mailed to the patient's home
Other: Cologuard Screening Test
Cologuard test mailed to the patient's home

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
CRC Screening Completion Rates
Time Frame: 3 months
completion rate of the stool-based screening test (FIT or Cologuard)
3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
CRC Screening Completion Rates
Time Frame: 6 months
completion rate of the stool-based screening test (Cologuard or FIT)
6 months
Diagnostic Colonoscopy Completion Rates
Time Frame: 6 months
completion rate of diagnostic colonoscopy after an abnormal stool test result (overall and by arm)
6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Massachusetts General Hospital

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
University of California, Los Angeles
Stand Up To Cancer
Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Jennifer Haas, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 7, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 30, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 27, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 27, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 6, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 26, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 8, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2022P001678

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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