Colorectal cancer home test could reduce waiting times

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) draft guidance recommends the use of the HM-JACKarc or OC-Sensor quantitative faecal immunochemical tests (FIT) to guide referral in primary care. Under existing NICE guidance, FIT was already offered to some people presenting to primary care with symptoms suggestive of colorectal cancer, while others were immediately referred on the suspected cancer pathway.  The draft guidance now recommends that everyone should receive a FIT. This should lead to 50% fewer referrals for urgent colonoscopies being made by GPs in primary care settings each year. The committee agreed it is important that GPs can refer people for colonoscopy without a positive FIT result if they think it is necessary and where symptoms persist.