{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T10:50:19Z","timestamp":1785408619851,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783555200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100017480","name":"Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["MRD 114002"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MRD 114002"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100017480","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["MRD 114002"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MRD 114002"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/02ntc9t93","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Fecal immunochemical testing (FIT)-based screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) has been associated with reductions in CRC mortality and improvements in early-stage disease detection; however, most related evidence has been derived from large national registries. The present study investigated associations of FIT screening status with overall survival (OS) and several clinicopathological characteristics in a regional hospital setting. Methods: After propensity score matching, 912 patients with pathologically confirmed colorectal adenocarcinoma diagnosed between 2010 and 2025 at a regional hospital in Taiwan were included. Patients were categorized into screened (n = 304) and nonscreened (n = 608) groups by using propensity score matching based on age as a continuous variable, sex, and stage. OS and clinicopathological characteristics in each group were compared. Multivariable Cox regression was performed using a primary reduced model, an exploratory full model, and multiple imputation analysis. Results: Screened patients demonstrated better 15-year OS (58.38% vs. 45.80%; log-rank p = 0.005), especially those with early-stage disease (p = 0.001). FIT screening was independently associated with improved OS in the primary reduced model (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.45\u20130.88; p = 0.006) and multiple imputation analysis (HR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.50\u20130.91; p = 0.010). Independent adverse prognostic factors were male sex, late-stage disease, perineural invasion, tumor obstruction, and abnormal pretreatment carcinoembryonic antigen level. Conclusions: FIT screening was associated with better long-term OS in a stage-balanced cohort, but interpretation is limited by the use of OS rather than CRC-specific survival and residual age imbalance. Improving FIT participation, timely colonoscopy follow-up, and complete pathological staging remains essential for CRC outcomes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics16142151","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T08:50:56Z","timestamp":1783587056000},"page":"2151","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Fecal Immunochemical Test Screening Status, Stage Distribution, and Overall Survival in Colorectal Cancer: A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study from a Regional Hospital in Taiwan"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Mei-Wen","family":"Chen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Cancer Administration and Coordination Center, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua 505, Taiwan"},{"name":"Department of Information Management, National Open University, New Taipei 247, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Po-Ju","family":"Lin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cancer Administration and Coordination Center, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua 505, Taiwan"},{"name":"Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua 505, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jing-Jim","family":"Ou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua 505, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cheng-Shyong","family":"Chang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Hematology and Oncology, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua 505, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wu, S., Zhang, Y., Lin, Z., and Wei, M. 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