Second-generation FIT – The revolutionary test to aid in detecting colon cancer
Published:Wednesday | June 21, 2023 | 12:25 AMKeisha Hill/Senior Gleaner Writer
FOR MANY years, the only colon cancer-screening test options were guaiac-based faecal occult blood tests developed in the 1960s, and colonoscopy, a procedure in which a flexible fibre-optic instrument is inserted through the anus in order to examine the colon.
Colon cancer screening is an important part of routine healthcare. Over the years, colonoscopy has been given preference over other methods, as a physician could visualise the colon with an endoscope and excise polyps.
Now, if your doctor has recommended colon cancer screening, you can choose the fecal immunochemical test, or FIT, that detects elevated globin, the most predictive biomarker of colon and rectal cancer, in the gastrointestinal tract. This biomarker can be indicative of many things, such as colon or rectal cancer, diverticulitis, colitis, Chron’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.
According to Deidre-Ann Gordon, brand manager at Medical Disposables and Supplies Limited, second-generation FIT is the revolutionary test to aid in the detection of colorectal cancer that is fast, accurate, and easy to use.
“FIT test screens for colorectal cancer by checking for blood in the stool. Blood vessels in colon tumours, or polyps, may bleed with the passage of stool. However, the blood is not always visible to the naked eye. FIT works by detecting (human haemoglobin) globlin levels at 50 ng/mL (50 billionths of a gram) in the stool,” Gordon said.
“A positive test may mean the patient has colorectal cancer or other gastrointestinal issues, such as internal haemorrhoids, benign polyps, or diverticulitis that require further diagnosis and intervention with a colonoscopy,” she added.
In 2014, the second-generation FIT test was US FDA-cleared to aid in detecting colorectal (colon) cancer, colitis, diverticulitis and other lower GI disease states. There are no diet or medicine restrictions, and the test takes minimal resources. The test can be done in the doctor’s office.
“Colorectal cancer ranks third as the most common cancer in Jamaica and fourth in cancer-related death. Studies show conclusively that early colon cancer has a 95 per cent survival rate if detected early. There are two tier-one recommendations for colon cancer screening: annual FIT or colonoscopy every 10 years. The method and cost associated with a colonoscopy may affect the take-up rate of getting a colonoscopy done,” Gordon said.
FIT, she said, is a simple, cost-effective option that can be completed in the doctor’s office or taken home for sample collection and returned to the doctor, which helps to refer the right patients to get a colonoscopy. “The most significant danger of colon cancer is if we continue doing nothing,” Gordon said.
Currently, the second-generation FIT from Pinnacle Biolabs is distributed by Medical Disposables and Supplies to physicians and laboratories. Persons 45 years and older can ask their doctor for the FIT test.
“If done annually for 10 years, FIT is still less than the cost of a screening colonoscopy. FIT is a very sensitive, specific, accurate and cost-effective colon cancer-screening option for Jamaicans now available right in the doctor’s office,” Gordon said.
FIT has been used in clinical settings in large hospitals and teaching institutions with great success. Canada, France, and the Netherlands all use FIT as the first line of defence in colorectal cancer screening. The FIT test has been featured in more than 100 studies, which led to the World Health Organization, the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Gastroenterological Association, the US Joint Preventative Task Force and the American Cancer Society recommending FIT for colon cancer screening, with outcomes similar to screening with colonoscopy.
“Currently, doctors in Jamaica doing colonoscopies are dealing with late or end-stage colorectal cancer. Imagine a Jamaica where all Jamaicans have been screened and medical doctors are routing early-stage cancers and not just the late-stage cancers; that could lead us to a 35 per cent reduction in mortality rates by year five,” Gordon said.
Medical Disposables and Supplies Limited is the authorised partner of Pinnacle Biolabs, manufacturers of second-generation FIT. Large institutions, hospitals and government services can screen 100,000 individuals with second-generation FIT for the same cost as screening people with colonoscopy.