At Home Colon Cancer Screening – They Are Now Sufficient
Colorectal cancer is responsible for an average 50,000 deaths each year. However, if caught early enough, it's one of the most curable cancers.
In many circumstances, screening can even prevent the condition from becoming a problem.
Unfortunately, only around half of Americans follow the guidelines for screening. One reason for the limited take-up is that: A colonoscopy necessitates an unpleasant "stool prep" that includes fasting for hours and consuming a strong bowel-clearing medication. You may get fearful because of anesthesia, off day from work or not being able to drive back home.
Colorectal cancer screening test kits, on the other hand, are starting to see an increase in screening rates. These tests are both safe and effective, and they require very little pre-test preparation. You can also perform them from the convenience of your own home.
Options for screening at home
Because the cells that lining your colon shed into your stool every day, at-home tests can detect malignant alterations. At-home testing kits are fairly helpful to detect colon cancer lesions early for persons who can't or won't undertake the bowel prep required for a colonoscopy. Furthermore, research show that these fecal blood tests are linked to higher screening rates.
While the FDA has approved three colonoscopy screening tests types to do at-home for colon cancer, only two are widely used due to their convenience and effectiveness. Patients can order any test they wish, although it's worth noting that not all at-home kits are approved by insurance.
FIT
The fecal immunochemical test, or FIT, detects blood in the stool using antibodies and is roughly 79 percent accurate in diagnosing colon cancer. All you need to do is: Have a bowel movement and collect a little amount of feces to send to the lab for testing. Everything you'll need is included in the kit, from instructions and a swab for feces collection to a sterile container and special sending envelope. Most insurance companies cover FIT since it is straightforward, frictionless, and painless.
The disadvantage is patients must repeat FIT every year if polyps do not bleed at the time of testing, and the test result depends on blood present in stool to diagnose malignancy. You'll still require a colonoscopy if the FIT test is positive.
Cologuard
A more expensive option than FIT, Cologuard detects colorectal cancer with a 92 percent accuracy rate.
Cologuard examines for DNA indicators of colon cancer and polyps in addition to checking for blood in the stool, as does FIT.
The disadvantages include the necessity to repeat Cologuard testing every three years and the fact that not all Cologuard tests are reimbursed by insurance.
Certain lifestyle practices, such as smoking, heavy drinking, inactivity, and poor eating habits, can raise your risk of colon cancer. Consult your doctor about starting colonoscopy screening before the age of 50 if you have a family history of the disease or routinely engage in practices that can harm your colon. See us at Digestive Disease Specialist for the test.
**Disclaimer: This blog content does not offer a doctor's advice and creates no relationship between any patient and care provider.
