Does your office do colorectal cancer screening?

Our office is now able to offer immunochemical testing (FIT) to screen for colorectal cancer. FIT is used annually to detect bleeding which is a warning sign of cancer. This test is superior to fecal occult blood testing which was once done routinely during office visits or at hom by the patient. There are no dietary or medicinal restrictions to perform the test and only one sample is necessary. The American College of Gastroenterology has recommended that FIT replace the hemoccult testing cards. Colonoscopy is still the preferred method of preventing cancer as abnormal lesion can be removed at the time of testing. Screening begins at age 50 for those considered at average risk of developing colorectal cancer and at age 45 for African-Americans.