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The following is a summary of “Patient history of cancer in primary care: a closer look among cancer survivors with chronic conditions in federally qualified health centers,” published in the February 2025 issue of BMC Primary Care by Booker et al.
Cancer prevalence in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) primary care is unclear. Managing chronic conditions with a cancer history is complex, especially with social and economic barriers.
Researchers conducted a prospective study to assess cancer prevalence in FQHC primary care, which remains unclear
They audited electronic medical records using a standardized form to identify cancer history in patients aged ≥40 years with diabetes and/or hypertension who visited an FQHC at least once in 2019. They performed descriptive statistics.
The results showed that among 712 patients with diabetes and/or hypertension, 46 (6.46%) had a documented history of cancer, with 67.4% of cases recorded in the “Problem List” section of the medical record. Cancer and non-cancer patient characteristics were largely comparable, though patients with cancer were, on average, older (mean age = 64.7, SD = 9.9) than those without cancer (mean age = 60.0, SD = 9.9). The most frequently documented cancers were colorectal cancer (19.6%) and breast cancer (17.4%), while the remaining cases (63.0%) included prostate, lung, ovarian, and hematologic malignancies. Additionally, 7 patients (1%) had medical records suggesting possible cancer; however, documentation confirming the diagnosis was unavailable. For instance, a colonoscopy report noted multiple polyp removals, but no corresponding pathology report was found to determine whether the polyps were benign or malignant.
Investigators found a higher cancer prevalence in FQHC primary care records than previously reported. They suggested future research on integrating cancer history to improve chronic care.
Source: bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-025-02727-y
