At Home screening Kits: An Approach To Early Detection Of Colorectal Cancers

General
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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a disease of the older population in developed countries where the incidence among the young is rising despite the decline in the overall incidence. The recent trends show a rise in cases of CRC in India particularly in young individuals. CRC is the fourth most common cancer in India. The survival rate in India is much less in comparison to the developed countries, ranking fifth in CRC related mortality globally.

Risk factors include consumption of red and processed meat, fried and sugary food, smoking and alcohol, comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), family history of CRC, adenomas and genetic syndromes, radiation exposure, pesticides and asbestos.

While colonoscopy remains the gold standard for detecting CRC, the rising cases highlight the need for popularising the ‘At-home screening’ kits in India.They can help in early detection of cases and also are less invasive and more acceptable to the person undergoing these tests. They are simple and accurate.

These tests are:

  1. Fecal occult blood test( FOBT) - detects blood in stool.

  2. Fecal immunochemical test ( FIT) - detects blood from lower intestines in the stool and tends to be more accurate.

  3. Cologuard - checks for evidence of DNA shed by cancer cells in the stool, as well as for blood.

FOBT and FIT are done annually and Cologuard is recommended every three years, if negative. Accuracy of FOBT, FIT and Cologuard is around 71%,80% and 92% respectively. If the tests are positive a colonoscopy is recommended. The samples are sent to lab for testing.

The drawback is that these test are not very effective in detecting polyps. Also the At-home tests aren’t recommended for people who have a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease.

Survival rates remain low in India largely due to delayed detection and limited awareness. Promoting awareness, improving accessibility to screening, and encouraging early evaluation of symptoms are essential steps in reducing CRC-related morbidity and mortality. At policy level, a national screening should be introduced.

With rising cases among the young, can we afford to delay widespread screening and awareness any longer?

MBH/PS

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Extremely well-structured and clinically relevant discussion — very informative.

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Clearly explained!!

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With the rising cases of colorectal cancer, these at home kits can be useful for initial screening before going for colonoscopy.

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You’re absolutely right. India can’t afford to wait. Early detection through accessible screening and awareness campaigns is the key to saving lives

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The rise of CRC in younger Indians is a wake-up call that we can’t wait for symptoms to appear. While colonoscopy is the gold standard, these at-home kits act as a vital ‘clinical net’ to catch cases that would otherwise stay hidden until they can no longer be treated.

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Clearly explained!Increasing awareness about non-invasive screening like FIT can contribute to the early detection among younger population

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Home kit tests can be very useful in India, but we must first educate people and raise awareness. Increasing awareness is essential to encourage lifestyle changes, especially as we are seeing more cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) in younger age groups.

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On point post, we must spread awareness and encourage patients to undergo regular screening, and the patients must also be taught that cancer is curable if diagnosed early and treated well.

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