Why do I need to take a Bowel Disorders Test? It is estimated that almost 500,000 deaths from Bowel Cancer still occur throughout the world every year and it is the second most common cause of death from any cancer in men in the European Union. Screening every year with a proven Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT), can lead to the early detection of Bowel Cacer. Unfortunately only very few people know that this form of cancer, when detected early enough, can almost always be cured Why do Bowel Disorders occur? Bowel disorders can occur if an area of the gastrointestinal tract (GI) becomes inflamed which in turn can lead to bleeding. The inflammation can cause a small outgrowth known as a polyp, which is a benign tumour that grows inside the colon. Larger polyps tend to bleed quite easily and the blood can be mixed in with the stool so that it is not visible to the naked eye. Almost 95% of colon cancer cases develop from polyps and if the colon cancer is detected and treated early enough, the survival rate is greater than 90%. As with polyps, the blood can be mixed in with the stool and invisible to the naked eye. Bleeding can also be associated with the very common bowel disorder, haemorrhoids, commonly known as piles. The bleeding is usually bright red and from the back passage; it may be seen in the toilet bowl or on the toilet paper. It is now possible to perform a Bowel Disorders Test, which is easy to use and carried out in the privacy of your own home. The home test can detect the presence of minute amounts of blood in the stool, even if it is invisible to the naked eye. What do the Bowel Disorders tests look for? The tests detect faecal occult blood that is not usually visible. Larger intestinal polyps and cancer already in its very early stages can release blood into the stool, which you can not usually see. Why is testing for a Bowel Disorder so important? Polyps in the colon usually cause no problem and may go unnoticed for many years. But early detection of colon cancer is very important because the chance of survival is higher than 90% if the cancer is detected and treated in its early stages. What does the Bowel Disorders Test involve? The tests involve either using a small stool sample and mixing it with a chemical solution or a chemically coated tissue that is dropped on top of the stool sample. No dietary restrictions are required and the test results are obtained within a couple of minutes. When should the Bowel Disorders test be performed? If you are aged 40 or above it is recommended that the Bowel Disorders Test should be performed annually. If there is a history of polyps or colon cancer in the family, the test should be started earlier and performed more regularly. |
