The third most common cancer is colon cancer.When colon cancer is caught early, it can be treated and cured in 90 percent of cases.It's important to follow through with the recommended screening.You can learn how to self-screen for colon cancer with the at- home stool test, which is recommended every one to two years for people over the age of 50.Though colon screenings performed by trained doctors are always best, an at- home test is better than nothing and could point out issues that you will need to address.
Step 1: Evaluate your risk of colon cancer.
Everyone is eligible for colon cancer screening beginning at the age of 50, but if you have a family history or personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, you may not be eligible.If you have any risk factors, it is important to inform your doctor, even if you are still young.If you believe you have additional risk factors, your doctor will let you know when you are eligible to begin self-screening.
Step 2: Obtain the package.
The at- home stool testing package is the first thing you need to self-screen for colon cancer.To get this, you will need to visit your family doctor, who will explain the procedure to you.The Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) is a stool test.The blood in your stool is not visible to the naked eye.It's the most common self-screening test for colon cancer.The Fecal Immunochemical Test is a stool test.This is almost the same as FOBT, except it doesn't detect blood via heme, but through the use of antibodies directed at human hemoglobin.Cologuard is the final self-screening stool test.This evaluates both for the presence of blood in the stool, as well as for DNA that has been associated with a higher risk for colon cancer.The Cologuard test is new and not currently recommended as the standard of care; however, studies indicate that the test could potentially have a greater ability to detect colon cancer than either the FOBT or the FIT tests.
Step 3: The number of stool samples is required.
You will be ready to begin testing at the time of your next bowel movement if you have the package at home with you.Take a look at how many stool samples you need.Some self-screening packages ask for three samples, each the size of a piece of toilet paper.The whole bowel movement may need to be packaged and sent to the lab in order for others to ask for only one sample.One way to collect bowel samples more easily is to place a piece of plastic wrap over the toilet bowl and hang it above the water level.Before you flush the rest down the toilet, you can collect the stool sample.Don't have urine in your stool sample.
Step 4: The stool sample should be kept at room temperature.
When you have a chance to return your stool sample to the lab, store it at room temperature.The collection of your stool sample should have this done within seven days.
Step 5: Send the sample to the lab.
You will need to return the sample to the lab after you collect it and place it in the appropriate areas.You can return the lab to any medical lab in your area, or the hospital lab, whichever is most convenient for you.
Step 6: You can review your results with a follow-up appointment.
The results of your stool test will need to be reviewed by your family doctor after the lab has finished analyzing it.If the result is positive or not, your doctor will help you to plan your next steps, if necessary.
Step 7: If you get a negative result, take comfort.
You can take confidence in knowing that your risk of colon cancer is very low if the stool test comes back negative.No test is perfect, so there is always a chance of a testing error, but more likely than not, you are not at risk.Your doctor will tell you to go on with your life.There will be no further testing at this time.In order to ensure regular screening, the stool test is repeated every two years for people 50 and older.At this time, make a note to yourself so that you can repeat the stool test with your family doctor.
Step 8: If you get a positive result, you should go ahead with the colonoscopy.
If your stool test comes back positive, you will need to conduct further investigations.The next step is a colonoscopy, which is where a tube is inserted through the anus all the way up your colon so that your doctor can view the walls of the colon.If there are any, these can be biopsied at the time of the test and evaluated under the microscope for the presence of cancer.If your colonoscopy shows nothing suspicious, you are free to go on with your life.If your colon cancer is found during your colonoscopy, you will need to consult a cancer specialist about how to treat it.
Step 9: The self-screening test for colon cancer does not mean that you have cancer.
It is important to not worry about a screening test.The purpose of the screening test is not to diagnose cancer, but to figure out who is at a higher risk and needs to have a colonoscopy, which is the official diagnostic test.There is a chance that you have colon cancer if you test positive for blood in your stool.If you can, try not to worry too much until you are done with the colonoscopy.If you receive regular screening, you can catch colon cancer early in the stages where it can be treated and cured, which is great news.