Procedures to check for cancers in the bowel, colon or rectum â which there are 42,000 new cases of every year â can cause discomfort so new test would help thousands
At-home poo tests could spare tens of thousands from invasive colonoscopies to rule out cancer.
Procedures to check for cancers in the bowel, colon or rectum â which there are 42,000 new cases of every year â can cause discomfort. But new draft guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence says faecal immuno-chemical tests should be offered to patients with signs of the disease.
A sample is posted to a lab, where the amount of blood in poo is checked, with results within a week. It is hoped the move could diagnose colorectal cancer when it is more curable and cut waiting times. Bowel Cancer UK chief Genevieve Edwards said: “This will help GPs to better identify and refer the right patients for further testing quickly.”
FIT tests cost between £4 and £5 and can identify about nine in 10 people with the illness. NICE found 94,291 fewer colonoscopies would take place if referrals fell by 25%, adding that NHS capacity is limited. NICE director Mark Chapman said it was “balancing the best care with value for money”.