Buy this test £23.99 + £3.40 p&p

The test is more comfortable than a barium enema! Here's some information about the 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.

The bowel cancer test detects very small amounts of human blood in faeces. Polyps and cancers of the colon often bleed but not enough for the blood to be visible. The FOB (faecal occult blood) test is extremely sensitive and will be positive when only microscopic amounts of blood are present. The test will not be positive if there is meat from your food in the faeces as the test is specific for human blood. If the test is negative then you do not need to take any action. If the test is positive then we will contact you and provide you with advice on what to do next. To take the test you use our hygienic sampler to take several small pieces of faeces on 3 separate days. Take the sample over a 3 day period makes this test much more effective than 1 day tests.   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. What is the faecal occult blood test (FOB test)? The test identifies very small amounts of blood in faeces. Normally the sample is taken at home. A small amount of faeces is sent to the laboratory for testing. As colonic polyps and cancers are likely to bleed, detecting traces of blood can help to identify people at risk. 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. 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? Normally, the result is available within 3 working days of receiving the sample. How much does the test and advice cost? Full testing with medical advice, where necessary, from Oxford Screening costs £19.99 plus £3.40 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 FOB tests the same? Some FOB tests, cannot distinguish between animal blood and human blood so the test can be positive if you have eaten red meat recently. The test can be falsely positive for other reasons, for example, bleeding haemorrhoids (piles) or bleeding caused by aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs used for arthritic or muscular pain. Newer, more up to date and sophisticated tests can specifically identify human blood. This is the test recommended by Oxford Screening as if the test is positive it is less likely to be falsely positive than other tests. It can be upsetting to have to undergo further tests unnecessarily after a falsely positive test and although this is inevitable in any screening it can be minimised by using the best and most appropriate 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. All positive results will be followed up by a telephone call. 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 colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, barium enema or virtual colonoscopy. The chances of a positive test are related to age; people in their 60s have double the risk of a positive test to those in their 50s but the NHS in England does not plan to screen people under 60 unless they are at special risk. Technical details about the test It is an immunological FOB test based on monoclonal antibodies that specifically detect human haemoglobin with a detection sensitivity of more than 25-50 micrograms per gram of faeces. The test is reported as DETECTED or NOT DETECTED. 3 small samples of faeces are collected into a single tube and tested as one sample. This makes the test much more effective because if the bleeding is intermittent by examining faeces from 3 days, it is more likely to be identified. In effect, this is 3 tests for the price of 1. No dietary restrictions are required.   Instructions for Use FOB test pack contents FOB sampler Remember to remove excess faeces from the sampler before replacing it in the tube and shaking. Too much sample will interfere with the performance of the test. What is in your FOB 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   Collecting Samples for the Faecal Occult Blood Test This collector should be used for a series of 3 collections over a 3 day period (one collection each day). There is no need for a special diet before collection of the samples.Before you start the collection please carefully check that the personal details on the tube and on the request form are correct.  Day 1 Collect a sample of faeces on to clean toilet paper or on to a clean disposable container. Unscrew the top of the sampler tube. Holding the white top, twist the stick into the sample of faeces in several different places in the sample so that both slits in the tip of the stick are filled with faeces (see figure). Remove excess faeces from the sampler with toilet paper so that only the slits contain sample (see figure). Too much sample will be detrimental to the performance of the test. Put the sample stick back into the liquid in the tube and screw the top back into place. Gently shake or agitate the tube to distribute the sample in the liquid (see figure). The tube should be stored at room temperature.   Day 2 Ensure that the faeces is washed out into the liquid in the tube and then repeat the procedure described for day 1.  Day 3 Repeat the procedure described for day 1. This will mean that there are 3 separate samples collected into the tube over 3 days Samples must be posted to Oxford Screening in the bag provided together with the request form. Ensure that the sample is posted as soon as possible and within one week at the most.   Important notes: Do not empty the tube before use as the liquid is vital for the test. Do not put the tube in the fridge or freezer. Store the tube at room temperature. Do not take all 3 samples on one day. Only collect one sample each day and only sufficient faeces each day to fill the the slits on the stick (see figure).