According to a new study reported in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, stool samples remain a very efficient, cost-effective way of checking for colon cancer. In particular, the fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) was cited as a solid option for detecting the disease early on.
Typically, specialists tend to recommend that people at average risk of colon cancer begin their screenings for the disease at around age 50. The two most commonly recognized tests for colon cancer along with the aforementioned stool samples are: colonoscopy done every 10 years and flexible sigmoidoscopy done every five years.
FOBT works by finding hidden blood in stool, which is one of the indicators of colon cancer or pre-cancerous growths.
For the purposes of this study, researchers followed approximately 2,800 adults who volunteered for an FOBT, a colonoscopy and an upper endoscopy to check for problems in their upper digestive tract. All in all, 28 people were confirmed to have colon tumors after the colonoscopy, and all but one had a positive test for their FOBT.
"It means that almost every case with colon cancer can be identified by iFOBT," Lee told Reuters Health in an email. "It is a strong support to iFOBT as an effective screening tool.
Anyone who believes that they may have colon cancer should contact their local physician and have one of the abovementioned tests conducted as soon as possible.
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