Finding bowel cancer earlier, when it is easier to treat

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Trust (BHRUT) and Barts Health are currently the only two hospitals in the country to take part in a pilot which offers FIT (Faecal Immunochemical Test) in their A&E department.

FIT checks the level of blood present in a patient’s poo and can help detect colorectal cancers. This is currently being offered in A&E at Queen’s Hospital, while Whipps Cross Hospital is due to begin offering it soon.

The pilot is being run by the Transforming Cancer Services Team in London and aims to find colorectal cancer earlier.

As around one in five cases of colorectal cancer are found after an A&E visit, this pilot aims to reduce waiting times for patients to be diagnosed and treated.

If the test identifies colorectal cancer, patients would immediately be put onto an urgent cancer pathway for treatment.

Sas Banerjee, Cancer Clinical Lead and colorectal surgeon for BHRUT, said: “This is the first time FIT testing has been offered in a secondary care setting and we’re really pleased to be part of the pilot.

“Patients with symptoms including unexplained abdominal pain or weight loss, a change in bowel habits or rectal bleeding will be given a test to complete at home. Once returned to a drop-off point, the sample is analysed by our Pathology team. If a result is positive for colorectal cancer, patients are contacted by one of our dedicated clinical nurse specialists.”

FIT is already offered as part of the NHS bowel cancer screening programme, where home testing kits are sent to adults aged 60 to 74 (the scheme is currently expanding to include all adults over 50). It is also offered by GPs to patients with colorectal cancer symptoms.

For more information

Read more about bowel cancer screening.

Watch a video about bowel screening.

Hear from a patient about bowel screening.