Pharmacist-Led Interventions for Colorectal Cancer Prevention: A Systematic Review

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, despite existing effective prevention strategies. Pharmacists are increasingly involved in various colorectal cancer prevention programs and are well-positioned to support these prevention efforts. In this systematic review, we investigate evidence regarding pharmacist-led interventions for colorectal cancer prevention by conducting a comprehensive search across the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, PubMed, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Studies were included only if they examined the role of pharmacists in early colorectal cancer detection and screening, lifestyle counseling to support prevention, and risk awareness and education. Risk of bias was assessed using the Pre-Post Quality Assessment developed by the National Institutes of Health. A total of 1405 studies were identified, of which four were included in the review. The included studies were quasi-experimental studies that mainly addressed screening awareness with fecal immunochemical test distribution, referrals, and counseling. The results of these studies showed an increase in screening participation, an improvement in knowledge of colorectal cancer risk factors and screening, and enhanced colorectal cancer referral rates. This systematic review highlights the potential of pharmacist-led interventions in enhancing colorectal cancer prevention efforts, but further well-designed studies are needed.