Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the world. According to a study published in The Lancet Oncology, a new type of test may help detect this type of cancer more effectively.

In Romania, according to the OECD report – Cancer Country Profile – Romania 2023, this neoplasm is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and the third in women.

Studies have shown that screening can reduce both the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer by early detection and removal of precancerous lesions. Stool analysis is convenient, noninvasive, and can be effective in detecting colorectal cancer in its early stages or detecting precancerous polyps. One such test is the fecal occult blood test (FOBT). FOBT detects occult blood in the stool, which is a symptom of colorectal cancer or colon polyps.

The procedure involves collecting a small sample of feces and sending it to a laboratory for analysis. If blood or other abnormalities are found in the stool, additional tests such as a colonoscopy are usually recommended to confirm the diagnosis of colorectal cancer or the presence of polyps.

Another stool test is the FIT (fecal immunochemical test), which detects the presence of hemoglobin in the stool using specific antibodies, as opposed to the FOBT, which detects occult blood using a chemical reaction. FIT is usually more sensitive than FOBT and can provide more accurate results.

In addition, FIT may be less dependent on external factors such as diet and has a lower risk of false positives. Recently, researchers developed an even more effective type of FIT for detecting large colon polyps, according to a study published in The Lancet Oncology.

“The current tests are working well, but there is still room for improvement. We want to be able to detect tumors before they become invasive, that is, at the stage of larger precancerous polyps. Primary care physicians can then remove these polyps during colonoscopy, instead of resorting to surgery,” Gerrit Meyer, a researcher at the Netherlands Cancer Institute and co-author of the study, said in a press release.

Advantages of stool analysis in colorectal cancer

Stool analysis tests for colorectal cancer, such as FIT (fecal immunochemical test), are an effective and affordable screening method. They are designed to detect the presence of hemoglobin in stool samples, which can indicate bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, often associated with the presence of colorectal cancer or precancerous polyps.

The main advantage of these tests is that they can be easily performed without leaving your home. This encourages participation in screening programs and increases the availability of this important prevention method.

Although effective in detecting cancer and precancerous polyps, it is important to note that these tests are not as accurate as colonoscopy in detecting precancerous growths. Therefore, in case of a positive or suspicious result of stool analysis, it is recommended to perform a colonoscopy to confirm the diagnosis and further examination of the patient.

However, stool tests remain an important component of colorectal cancer screening programs, providing a convenient and affordable option for early detection of this serious disease.

What’s new in the newly created mtFIT test

A new stool analysis test called mtFIT (multitarget fit) is more effective than the FIT test at detecting precursors of colorectal cancer, such as polyps, according to researchers. This test is designed to detect hemoglobin, a protein found in the blood, as well as two other proteins, calprotectin and SERPINF2. The effectiveness of this test was evaluated in a study involving 13,187 participants who had stool samples taken. Both types of tests, mtFIT and standard FIT, were applied to these samples.

The researchers’ conclusion was that mtFIT detected more abnormalities than the conventional FIT test, showing that it improved detection power: mtFIT detected abnormalities in 299 people, while FIT detected abnormalities in 159 people.

“Colorectal cancer screening can eliminate the risk and prevent the disease”

According to experts, colorectal cancer screening is a particularly valuable means of preventing this condition. “First, colorectal cancer screening can help us detect the disease at an early stage, thus allowing treatment that leads to a cure. But I think the biggest strength of this screening is its ability to identify precancerous lesions. Colorectal cancer is unique in that its lesions can be detected and removed before the disease develops. Removing a precancerous polyp eliminates the risk of developing cancer, which means we can prevent the diagnosis of cancer itself. Thus, we can say that screening for colorectal cancer is able to eliminate the risk and prevent the disease, giving us the opportunity to fight it from the root,” emphasized Dr. Folaside May, assistant professor of medicine in the Department of Digestive Diseases at Watche, to Medical News Today.

There are several options for colorectal cancer screening, including CT colonoscopy or virtual colonoscopy, which allows you to virtually navigate the colon using high-quality 3D CT images, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy. Among them, colonoscopy is considered the most accurate and complete.

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