DNA stool test for bowel cancer.
The standard screeninhg test for bowel cancer is the FOB - fecal occult blood - test. In this three samples of stool taken on different days are checked in the lab for blood.
Bowel cancer often starts in a polyp or warty growth on the bowel wall. Both a polyp and and an established cancer are inclined to bleed. The FOB test finds that blood and raises the suspicion of cancer or pre-cancer.
The new test looks for DNA changes in the cells found in the stool. This is more effective in diagnosing cancer. It may even pick up cancer from other organs.
The DNA test requires only one sample and can be collected at home just as the FOB can be.
If either test is positive a colonoscopy is in order. Virtual colonoscopy done by MRI has been shown to be as effective as a regular colonoscopy and may become the norm. The disadvantage of the colonoscopy is that it requires a light anaesthetic: the advantage is that the doctor doing the colonoscopy can remove any polyps found at the time of the test.
