Screening and management strategies for stigma in patients with colorectal cancer and stomas require clinically meaningful guidance

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Frontiers in Medicine Published June 6, 2026 Medically reviewed June 6, 2026 DOI ↗ By Dr. Julia Lee, PhD · Oncology, Genomics & Drug Development

Key Takeaway

Consider screening and management strategies for stigma in patients with colorectal cancer and stomas.

This best evidence summary review focuses on screening and management strategies for stigma in patients with colorectal cancer and stomas. The authors compiled data from 17 publications to inform clinical practice. The review aims to provide clinically meaningful guidance for this specific patient population. Specific primary outcomes and secondary outcomes were not reported in the source documents. Safety data, including adverse events and tolerability, were not reported. The setting of the included publications was not reported. Funding sources and potential conflicts of interest were not reported. The authors acknowledge that key details such as follow-up duration were not reported. This review does not establish causality. The evidence certainty was not reported by the authors. Clinicians should interpret these findings with caution given the lack of quantitative outcome data and the observational nature of the synthesis. The review highlights the need for structured approaches to stigma management in this context.

Study Details

Study typeMeta analysis

EvidenceLevel 1

PublishedJun 2026

View Original Abstract ↓

ObjectiveTo systematically appraise and synthesize the best available evidence on screening and management strategies for stigma among patients with colorectal cancer and stomas, providing evidence-based support for clinical practice.MethodsThis study was conducted and reported in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines where applicable and the evidence summary development process proposed by the Fudan University Center for Evidence-based Nursing. Guided by the “5S” evidence pyramid model, a top-down systematic search was conducted across decision-support systems, guideline websites, professional organization websites, and major databases. The search period spanned from database inception to January 21, 2026. Multiple reviewers independently performed literature screening, critical appraisal, and evidence extraction.ResultsA total of 17 publications were included, comprising two clinical decisions, six clinical practice guidelines, two expert consensuses, three evidence summaries, one systematic review, and three randomized controlled trials. The synthesized evidence generated seven thematic domains: team construction, stigma identification and assessment, educational guidance, stoma and appliance management, self-management, psychosocial support, and follow-up, yielding 32 evidence-based recommendations.ConclusionThe 32 evidence-based recommendations across seven domains provide clinically meaningful guidance for screening and managing stigma in patients with colorectal cancer and stomas. These recommendations offer an evidence-based framework for improving clinical practice. During implementation, healthcare professionals should critically appraise the applicability of evidence by considering clinical context, individual patient differences, and family and social backgrounds to optimize stigma reduction and psychosocial adaptation.