Bowel Cancer Test

barium enema

The test is more comfortable than a barium enema!

Here's some information about the M2-PK bowel cancer test

In general, it is wise to think about cancer testing from the age of 45-50 unless there are special risk factors in which case your doctor may have already commenced screening programmes for you. Annual testing is recommended and we will remind you annually so you can decide when to have your next test. The longer the time between the tests, the lower is the level of protection from cancer.

Buy this test - Click here

Buy this test because:

1. You take the stool sample yourself and post it to us so it is easy to do

2. It is more accurate than tests that detect blood in the stool

M2-PK sampler

Instructions for Use - M2-PK

What is in your M2-PK pack?

1. Detailed instructions for use

2. Equipment for the test including one tube with lid that doubles as sampler

3. Request form and sample tube – you must complete the request form and tube label (with your name, address and date of birth for identification purposes). It is very important that you check that this information is correct. If the request form or sample tube is incorrectly labelled you could receive an incorrect result.

4. Pre-paid addressed bag for return of the test

5. Useful additional information - a large pea-sized piece of stool from one stool sample is all that is required.

The M2-PK bowel cancer test detects abnormal amounts of pyruvate kinase (PK) in the stool. Pyruvate kinase (PK) is an enzyme present in normal cells that line the large bowel. In the cells of polyps and cancers of the large bowel, PK is increased and a specific type of PK is present, the M2 form. Scientists therefore thought that detecting M2-PK in the stool could be used as a screening test for bowel diseases. As cells drop of the surface of a polyp or cancer they disintegrate and the M2-PK enzyme is released into the stool. If an abnormal amount of M2-PK is found in the stool this means there is an increased risk of a polyp or cancer being present. It is important to note that as for other screening tests it is not 100% accurate. The test can be positive in people with inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease due increased loss of cells from the bowel lining) but you would normally have diarrhoea with this condition. It is also important to recognise that M2-PK test is much less likely to be falsely positive than a test that detects blood in the stool. Blood in the stool can be due to many conditions including haemorrhoids, diverticular disease, bleeding disorders, blood thinning drugs and so on. In contrast, M2-PK is a more specific marker of significant disease so you are much less likely to have unnecessary investigations for a falsely positive test result.

What are the benefits of screening?
Diseases detected by screening can often be treated successfully because the disease is less advanced. This applies particularly to screening for cancer. Cancers detected before they have produced symptoms are less likely to have spread and frequently colonic cancer screening detects polyps in the bowel that precede the development of a cancer. By taking part in screening you can reduce your risk of dying from colonic cancer.

Who should be screened?
Men and women with no known risk factors should be tested every year from the age of 50 (American Cancer Society recommendation). At least 80% of colonic cancers occur in people over 50. If you have known risk factors, for example, a close relative has had the disease or colonic polyps, or you have inflammatory bowel disease then you should already have screening organised through your own doctor, even if you are under 50.
The lifetime risk of colon cancer in the UK is 1 in 18 for men and 1 in 28 for women. People over 30 years of age with bowel symptoms should also be tested.

What are the special risk factors for colon cancer?
Previous colonic polyps, a family history (parent, sibling or child of yours) of colonic cancer or polyps, inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) or family history of a hereditary colonic cancer syndrome (familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer)

How often should you be screened?
Every 12 months. If you take a test with Oxford Screening we will remind you when your next test is due.

How long does it take to receive the result after Oxford Screening receive your sample?
Normally, the result is available from 24 hours to 3 days for the 'Quick M2-PK Test.'

How much does the test and advice cost?
Full testing with medical advice, where necessary, from Oxford Screening costs from £69.00 plus post and packing. Payment is by credit card online through a secure internet connection, by phone on 01865-763140 or by cheque - please phone to leave your address and other details if you wish to pay by cheque.

If you need to phone for any reason please be prepared to leave a message or phone during normal office hours.

Are all Bowel Screening tests the same?
There is a range of bowel screening tests available these days. The immunological FOB test works by detecting blood from bleeding tumours and polyps. Not all tumours and polyps will bleed continuously and this is countered by taking 3 separate samples for the FOB test. The NHS bowel screening test (a form of FOB test) is not immunological and detects blood by an enzyme technique that is less sensitive than the immunological FOB test and the M2-PK test.

However, the M2-PK test does not rely on bleeding at all as it detects abnormal levels of an enzyme in the tumour cells.

From most accurate to least accurate the tests can be listed as follows -

1. M2-PK (positive - negative),

2. Immunological FOB (Oxford Screening's FOB test)

3. NHS enzyme FOB test.

What happens if your test is negative?
You will normally receive your result by email or by letter if you make a specific request, along with standard advice to repeat the test in 12 months. You will receive a reminder 12 months from the date of your result as screening is most effective when carried out regularly.

What happens if your test is positive?
You will receive your result by email or by letter, if you make a specific request, along with medical advice on what to do next. Discussion about the best course of action to follow a positive test is part of the service of Oxford Screening; we are not just a results service.

What are the chances of a positive test and what are the implications?
If there are no special risk factors, the chances of a positive test are less than 2 in 100 and of every 1000 people tested 1 or 2 will have a cancer and 3 or 4 will have polyps. Other tests are required to positively identify polyps or cancers and these include flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, barium enema, MRI scan or virtual colonoscopy. The chances of a positive test are related to age and presence of symptoms; people in their 60s have double the risk of a positive test to those in their 50s.

Technical details about the test
The numerical M2-PK test is an antibody test to dimeric M2-PK manufactured by ScheBo in Germany (www.schebo.co.uk). The cut off level of normal against abnormal is 4U/ml. The test needs to be carried out on a stool sample preferably within 48 hours of the sample being taken or within one year if the sample is deep frozen.

Oxford Screening

Email: oxfordscreening@aol.com