New changes to guidelines suggest that do-it-yourself (DIY) test kits could save 100,000 people from undergoing colonoscopies for suspected bowel cancer each year.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has released new draft guidance recommending that patients should first be offered faecal immunochemical tests (FIT).
This new approach aims to speed up the diagnosis of bowel cancer, especially among younger patients, and reduce NHS waiting times by decreasing referrals.
The FIT tests require individuals to collect a small stool sample and send it to a lab for testing. Results are typically available within a week.
According to Cancer Research UK, there are approximately 42,000 new cases of bowel or colorectal cancer each year.
New draft guidance says patients should first be offered faecal immunochemical tests (pictured) before a colonoscopy
The FIT tests cost the NHS between £4 and £5 each and have an accuracy rate of about 90% in identifying individuals with the disease.
Mark Chapman, interim director of medical technology and digital evaluation at Nice, stated that “Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK. These recommendations ensure we are balancing the best care with value for money, while delivering for individuals and society as a whole.”
Analysis by Nice indicates that if the number of people referred for colonoscopies fell by 25%, it would result in 94,291 fewer procedures. With long waiting lists, the NHS has limited capacity for colonoscopies.
Using at-home tests could reduce the number of people referred for urgent colonoscopies and subsequently decrease waiting times, allowing non-urgent referrals to be seen more quickly.
However, the guideline states that GPs should still refer patients with a negative FIT for a colonoscopy if symptoms persist.
Genevieve Edwards, chief executive at Bowel Cancer UK, believes that this guidance could help speed up diagnosis for younger individuals who are not eligible for screening programs. She emphasized the importance of identifying and referring the right patients for further testing quickly, as early detection of bowel cancer leads to more successful treatment and higher survival rates.
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