Home-Based Stool Test Detects 79% of Colorectal Cancers

The fecal immunochemical test (FIT), a simple at-home stool test that requires no change in diet to complete, can accurately detect 79% of colorectal cancers (CRCs). In addition, 2 of the most well-studied FIT brands are highly sensitive and specific, according to a meta-analysis of 19 studies.

Although screening is helpful in preventing cancer, the other at-home test, the fecal occult blood test, only detects 13% to 50% of cancers with a single round of screening, according to Dr. Lee and coauthors. Colonoscopy resources also are limited in some locations, the researchers note. The CDC reports that 1 in 3 adults aged 50 to 75 years (or more than 20 million people) have not been tested for colorectal cancer as recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

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Home-Based Stool Test Detects 79% of Colorectal Cancers

Source: Medscape
Image credits: Kaiser Permanente
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