Results from the timeframe and planning tool (TEMPO) study, part of the Scottish Bowel Screening Program, has determined that "including a deadline of 2 weeks for faecal immunochemical test (FIT) return in the invitation letter resulted in more rapid FIT returns, fewer reminder letters send, and marginally higher return rates..." The authors of the TEMPO study also stated that establishing FIT return deadlines is more cost-effective and increases compliance with screening behaviour, as current FIT uptake in Scotland is 66% compared to an average of 50% across other European countries.
To learn more about the TEMPO study, click here.
Sources:
- Robb KA, Young B, Murphy MK, et al. Behavioural interventions to increase uptake of FIT colorectal screening in Scotland (TEMPO): a nationwide, eight-arm, factorial, randomised controlled trial. The Lancet; Published online 12 March 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)02813-7
- Brenner H, Hoffmeister M. Cost-effective improvement of real-world cancer screening. The Lancet; Published online 12 March 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(25)00108-4
