Accu-Hemoscopy

The Accu-Hemoscopy test is a pre-symptomatic warning of the possibility of colorectal cancer. Its state of the art detection system is based on radioimmunoassay techniques, and radioreceptor capture agents, which are sensitive to parts per million of hemoglobin. These trace amounts of blood in feces may be a pre-symptomatic indication of colorectal cancer, polyps, colitis, diverticulitis, or other conditions.

Not Available in Canada

Early Colorectal Cancer Detection

It is probable that 84% of colorectal cancer can be anticipated by occult blood fecal screening procedures before other symptoms are evident. 97% of respondents have indicated that the Accu-Hemoscopy Occult Blood Screen, is preferable to an exsting procedure that involves direct handling of feces on repetitive occasions.

Methodology

Complete instructions are in each kit.

Do not perform the test if you currently have diarrhea, severe hemorrhoids, constipation, bleeding ulcers, or a menstrual period.

Each sheet of membrane paper is marked with a defined, shaped outline that contains a sensitive hemoglobin receptor, which will change from colourless to blue-green on contact with minute amounts of hemoglobin.

Before starting the test, ensure there are no cleaning or deodorizing chemicals in the toilet that would leach into the water in the toilet bowl. Flush the toilet to ensure clean water, and a water quality test pad is included to test this before starting the test. Proceed to have a bowel movement, and do not flush the toilet. Urine will not affect the test.

Remove a filter membrane from the package by holding only the edges, and ensure that the colourless marked area has no blue-green colour in it. Use only membrane papers that are devoid of blue-green colour.

Carefully place the membrane paper with the printed side up in the toilet bowl on the surface of the water. The marked area on the pad will turn a distinctive blue-green within a minute if the test is positive for the presence of blood in your fecal matter. The absence of any colour change is a negative test. You may then flush the toilet contents including the pad, which is biodegradable.

You should repeat the test on one or two additional occasions to confirm the results. This is an important confirmatory step because colon cancers may bleed intermittently over a 24 hour period, and repeating the test a second or even third time will detect these intermittent microscopic traces of blood.

The Accu-Hemoscopy test should be repeated annually. The price of a complete test kit, which includes 2 confirmation tests is $49.

Note: A positive result does not necessarily mean pre-symptomatic colorectal cancer. Blood can be present in feces for a number of reasons including hemorrhoids, gastro-intestinal tract infections, menstruation, and other causes.

The development of the Accu-Hemoscopy colorectal cancer test included a review of the role of telomeres in colorectal cancers. Telomeres are small strips of DNA that cover the end of chromosomes and prevent them from fraying during cell division. Abnormally long or short telomeres are often indicative of increased vulnerability to colorectal cancer and, in the case of shorter telomeres, accelerated biological aging. Future tests will hopefully be developed incorporating the significance of these findings.