Safescreen Home Test Kits

This convenient home test kit, detects the presence of microscopic amounts of blood not visible to the naked eye in your stools. The presence of blood in feces may be indicative of a problem in your digestive system, such as a growth, polyp, or bowel cancer.

95% of all colon cancers result from benign (non cancerous) tumors called polyps. Polyps are finger-like growths that protrude into the intestinal cavity. These benign growths are relatively common, but they can become cancerous (malignant) and invade and destroy nearby tissue and may spread to other parts of the body (metastases).

Unfortunately polyps in the colon can remain undetected for many years until they develop into a cancerous form. If a pre-cancerous polyp is found in time and removed, it can stop the development of colon cancer.  Fortunately, cancer of the bowel is very successfully treated if caught early.

Colon cancer risk

Your chance of developing colon cancer is higher if you have a family history of bowel cancers or have suffered with Colitis or Crohn’s disease. Dietary and lifestyle factors may also play a part in causing colon cancer. Some doctors recommend a fecal occult blood test (FOB) (a test to detect very small amounts of blood within feces) annually, from the age of 40 onwards. There is no set age, but general testing of younger people is not advocated since the probability of developing colon cancer in this group is low; as with all cancers, your chances of developing bowel cancer increase with your age.

Colon cancer test

It is not possible for any single test to tell you definitively whether or not you have colon cancer. Most cancers and large polyps bleed, albeit a very small amount. An FOB test detects microscopic amounts of blood in the stool which is considered to be an early sign of colon cancer.
If the test does reveal gastrointestinal bleeding, you must consult your doctor for further tests. Remember, there are other causes for bleeding bowels besides colon cancer, but this is still a concern that needs reporting to your doctor promptly.

Bowel cancer symptoms

The early stages of bowel cancer usually doesn’t exhibit any symptoms. This is why bowel cancer screenings is so important. Currently, about 85% of colon cancers are only detected after the cancer has penetrated through the bowel wall or spread; treatment and a cure is nevertheless still possible. As the disease progresses, which can take years, bowel cancer symptoms that can occur include:

• Visible blood in the stools (either bright red or dark in color)
• A change in usual bowel habits, diarrhoea or constipation (lasting more than 3 weeks)
• Thinner, ribbon-like stools
• Unexplained weight loss
• Abdominal pain and discomfort (frequent gas, bloating, fullness, and cramps)
• Constant tiredness
• The feeling that you haven't fully emptied your bowel when going to the toilet
• Abdominal distension: Your belly sticks out more than it did before, without weight gain

It is important to remember that these symptoms do not necessarily indicate bowel cancer and that blood in the stools can be from other causes such as haemorrhoids (piles).

What is the colon?

The digestive tract consists of three main parts: stomach, small intestine and large intestine.
When food is consumed, it passes into the stomach where it resides for some before passing on into the small intestine. The small intestine (duodenum) is a thin tube about 20 feet long. It is coiled in the center of the abdominal cavity and is where the most food products are absorbed during the digestion process. The large intestine (Colon) is wider but is only 4 feet long. The large intestine is responsible for absorbing water and removing solid waste from the body.  As the waste travels further down the colon, water is progressively removed and it becomes more solid until it is finally excreted.

What causes cancer of the colon

No cancer is fully understood, but bowel cancer is better understood than most. It is thought that about 90% of bowel cancer is due to dietary factors, with the remainder due to genetic (inherited) or other factors.

Dietary factors that increase bowel cancer risk are:

• Red meat: Particularly fatty and processed meat like burgers, sausages or ready meals, and meat which has been burnt or charred
• Fat: Particularly saturated fat, the kind found in meat and dairy products, and trans-fats (which are a result of food processing) found in many pre-packed foods and baked goods such as pastries
• Alcohol: A high intake of alcohol is thought to increase bowel cancer risk
• Caffeine: Tea, coffee, cola and some popular non-alcoholic bedtime drinks contain caffeine, which encourages the fluid we drink to pass quickly through our waterworks rather than circulate through the bowel

Genetic factors: your risk of developing colon cancer is 2-3 times higher, if you have a relative (parent or sibling) with colon cancer. The risk is higher if you have more than one affected family member, especially if the cancer was diagnosed at a young age.

The incidence of colon cancer is 5 times higher in people who have suffered from other bowel diseases, such as ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's disease.

Other factors, such as smoking and not exercising are also linked to an increase in colon cancer.

Bowel cancer screening

One of the first tests for colon cancer is the fecal occult blood test (FOBT). This will be used in conjunction with other tests such as a colonoscopy, where a camera is inserted in to the rectum allowing a visual detection of any obstructions.  The FOBT test gives you a clear indication of whether there is a need for any further medical investigation.

Home testing for colon cancer

As with all SafeScreen’s home test kits, everything you need to carry out and interpret a test is included with your order. The test for colon cancer can be performed discretely, in the privacy of your home by following the easy step by step instructions. Results are available in minutes rather than the days or weeks normally required to obtain laboratory results.

All that is required to carry out the test is a stool sample, taken when you go to the bathroom. This is collected with a plastic spatula and inserted into a tube, pre-filled with a buffer solution. A drop of this mixture is then placed on the test strip for evaluation.

Delivery

All colon cancer home test kits are delivered discretely in plain, unmarked packaging with no indication of the contents inside. Boxes are then posted inside a secure jiffy bag to ensure your complete privacy.

How can I prevent colon cancer?

It is probably not possible to prevent colon cancer completely, but dietary changes may reduce the risk of developing it. It is advisable to detect colon cancer as early as possible and treat it promptly. People, who have regular screening for colon cancer, including fecal occult blood tests, colonoscopies, and polyp removal, greatly reduce their risk of developing metastatic colon cancer.

As 90% of bowel cancer is due to dietary factors, changes made here are especially important. Foods that you should eat more of are:

Antioxidants

Antioxidants – namely carotenoids, flavonoids, selenium, folate, and vitamins C and E - may help to protect cells from damage. These are found in most fruits and vegetables. Eating a variety of brightly coloured plant foods ensures that all antioxidant vitamins are provided by the diet. Good sources are:

• Carotenoids: Carrots, red peppers, tomatoes, pumpkins, spinach, kale, broccoli, watermelon, mangoes, corn
• Flavonoids: Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, onions, beans
• Selenium: Brazil nuts, whole wheat, eggs, fish
• Folate: Green leafy vegetables, beans, lentils, nuts, wholegrains
• Vitamin C: Broccoli, cabbage, spinach, citrus fruits, red and green peppers, kiwi fruit, strawberries, tomatoes
• Vitamin E: Nuts, seeds, wheatgerm, whole grains, avocados

Fibre

As well as vegetables and fruits, other plant foods are also thought to help reduce the risk of bowel cancer. This is especially true of unrefined or whole foods like potatoes in their skins, brown rice, beans, whole¬grain bread and cereals. Due to their high fibre content, whole foods move through the gut quickly. A reduction in stool transit time is believed to be an important factor in bowel cancer prevention. The shorter the time that waste remains in the colon, the less likely the bowel is to be exposed to toxic chemicals, which, some researchers suspect, contribute to an increased risk of the disease.

Other factors that will reduce your chances of contracting colon cancer are:

• Stopping smoking Smoking cigarettes has been clearly linked with higher risk of colon cancer
• Exercise Engage in physical activity every day and keep your body weight within normal ranges
• Alcohol Keep alcohol consumption to the recommended maximum of 14 units per week for women and 21 for men
• Know your bowel pattern, so that you know what's normal for you and will notice if there are changes

Colon cancer treatment

Recovery from colon cancer largely depends on the extent of your disease before detection. The primary treatment is surgery to remove all or part of the colon. If detected early enough, polyps that appear pre-cancerous may be removed during a colonoscopy, if the number is not too high. Sometimes radiation treatment is given before surgery to reduce tumor size. This can improve the chances that the tumor will be removed successfully and can reduce the risk of the cancer coming back after treatment.
of colon cancer.

If the test does reveal gastrointestinal bleeding, you must consult your doctor for further tests. Remember, there are other causes for bleeding besides colon cancer, but this is still a concern that needs reporting to your doctor promptly.

Useful links

UK Dedicated Support charity for people suffering from Colon Cancer:  http://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/

BBC news article on the rise of bowel cancer and other related stories:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/7979614.stm

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