SUS adopts new test to detect bowel cancer before symptoms appear

The Ministry of Health announced this Thursday (21) a new national protocol for colorectal cancer screening. The procedure, called Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT), becomes the SUS (Unified Health System) reference test to identify possible changes in the colon and rectum.

The test will be carried out on asymptomatic men and women between 50 and 75 years old. FIT is a stool test that detects blood particles that may otherwise go unnoticed. Blood may be a sign of precancerous lesions or bowel cancer. Unlike previous tests, specific antibodies will be used, with greater sensitivity - up to 85% and 92% accuracy.

The advantages of the test are the absence of intestinal preparation and a restrictive diet before collecting feces, it can be performed with just one sample and is less invasive than traditional procedures. According to the Ministry of Health, the practicality of the test can increase the population's adherence to preventive exams.

The strategy will expand access to early detection of the disease, which is currently the most common type of cancer in the country: there are 53,800 cases for each year of the 2026-2028 triennium, according to data from Inca (National Cancer Institute). Patients will receive a kit to collect at home, and the material will be sent for analysis.

In case of positive tests, there will be a referral for additional tests to identify possible tumors. Colonoscopy is the main procedure for intestinal evaluation and allows precise visualization of the colon and rectum, in addition to the removal of polyps, small benign lesions similar to warts that grow in the intestinal lining and can develop into cancer.

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Source: CNN