Bowel cancer test

When I started my training in path lab, we did 6 months in each discipline before deciding where we wanted to specialise.

In my 6 months in Biochemistry, I was detailed to test for  occult blood in faeces samples. In those days, the sample consisted of a lump of poo, delivered in a screw topped metal container, a bit larger than a 35mm film canister. These were opened in a
safety cabinet, with explosive results in warm weather. Nowadays, a bit of dried poo on a card strip is tame stuff.

(I thought they were joking when I first had to process a sample for faecal fats. Patient had to collect 24 hours worth of output into a plastic bucket. Delivered to the lab, this was then placed into a food blender and pureed, prior to further tests.)

As for collecting the samples,as per Ians thread, I think folks are over thinking the process. Simply rub the card strip onto the loo paper which you are or will be using, no need to poo in a bucket or whatever.

I was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 51, some 11 years ago. The first indication of this was a little bit of blood passed in my poo. I thought that this was due to IBS or similar, but my GP thought otherwise, sent me to hospital appointment withing
2 weeks. Rest is history, surgery, chemo, stoma, stoma reversal etc, but I'm still OK now, benefit of early diagnosis.

I've done the postal screening test fairly recently, negative for occult blood. But of course, this doesn't tell you if anything is lurking behind the scenes, and the only advice in that instance is to pester your GP if you suspect something is not right.

From a person, who did participate in this screening process, it was clear; and subsequently a year later had a very large tumour removed thanks to brilliant nursing and surgical teams.  Enough said, I was lucky, as a thought for anyone in doubt of taking
such a simple test "its better than the alternative"  cancer is no respecter of age, colour, weight, etc. etc. sieze any opportunity you can to detect early and do not, NOT, be an ostrich.