At-Home Colon Cancer Testing: Protection for Life

According to the researches, approx. 50,000 deaths occur each year in the United States. It is one of the most curable cancers among others. Doctors may recommend colonoscopy screening if they notice a few particular symptoms in you. It is a very sad fact that half of Americans actually follow the guidelines for screening.

Most people do not want to do this screening as they have to go through stool preparation which includes consuming a strong bowel-clearing medication and fasting for hours. But nowadays, you can get colorectal cancer screening test kits that you can use at your home and this test is effective and safe.

How Does the Test Work?

Once your doctor recommends this screening, a test kit will be sent to your house. You have to collect a sample of your stool and send it to a lab in a pre-addressed and prepaid box. After that, the lab will send the result to your doctor directly within two weeks.

What Does the Test Check?

This test checks if there is any sign of blood in the stool. It is a common symptom of precancerous polyps. The lab also checks the changes in DNA cells that are linked to cancer. Keep in mind that you can prevent colon cancer if pre-cancerous polyps are found and removed on time.

Various Screening Tests At Home

• FIT

FIT stands for the fecal immunochemical test which detects signs of blood in the stool. It provides 97% accurate results in diagnosing colon cancer. You have to collect a little number of feces and send it to the lab. You can get a swab for feces collection, an instruction guide, a special sending envelope and a sterile container. The patient has to do this test every year to see the symptoms. Keep in mind that you have to do a colonoscopy screening if the FIT provides positive results.

• Cologuard

It is way more expensive compared to FIT and provides almost 92% accurate results. This test also checks if there is any blood in the stool along with DNA indicators. You have to do the result every three years to check if any changes occur. Remember that all types of Cologuard are not covered by an insurance policy.

Do a Screening and Save Your Life

A few bad habits like heavy drinking, inactivity, smoking and poor eating habits can increase the risk of colon cancer. If you are above 50 and have a family history of colon cancer, then do yourself a favor and contact Screen The City for colonoscopy screening.

**Disclaimer: This blog content does not intend to offer a doctor’s advice and mentions no relationship between any patient and the care provider.