Long waiting times and the discomfort of undergoing a colonoscopy to rule out colorectal cancer can be avoided with a faecal (or poo) test, for which the sample can be given in the comfort of your own toilet at home. — dpa
At-home poo tests could spare millions of people around the world from having to undergo invasive procedures to rule out cancer in the bowel, colon or rectum, new advice from health experts in the United Kingdom suggests.
New draft guidance from the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said faecal immunochemical tests (FIT) should be offered to patients with signs or symptoms of the disease, such as blood in their poo.
It is now hoped the move could help diagnose colorectal cancer faster and cut waiting times with local health care facilities in the UK – and potentially other countries – by reducing the need to refer people for a colonoscopy.
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The test requires a small sample, which is then posted to a laboratory where the amount of blood in the poo is measured.
In the UK, results are usually available within a week.
Early detection and treatment are key to improving survival rates of colorectal cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The cancer is caused by changes in the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of cells in the colon or rectum, and risk factors include age, family history, personal history and lifestyle choices.
Analysis by NICE found that 94,291 fewer colonoscopies would take place in the UK alone if the number of people referred fell by 25%.
Using at-home tests “could reduce the number of people referred for urgent colonoscopy, and so, reduce the waiting times to allow people on non-urgent referral pathways to be seen more quickly,” the organisation said. – PA Media/dpa
