Mailed Reminders Improve Cancer Screening Rates

A mailed reminder might increase the number of people who get screened for colon cancer, a study has found. The study involved more than 20,000 adults, ages 50 to 80. All were overdue for a screening. About half were mailed information and instructions on how to schedule a screening. People who were mailed the information were more likely to get screened. The mailings seemed to help more in older age groups. More than 108,000 Americans are diagnosed with colon cancer each year. The study appears in the February 23 issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.