The Lancet Journal has published the results of a study into the testing of bowel cancer. This type of cancer is the second biggest killer in the UK after lung cancer and while basic screening is saving lives, the clinical trial found that the new test brought the development of the disease down by a third among the 175, 000 people trailing it.
The test, which is described as ‘quick and painless’ was carried out on both men and women and involves a camera mounted on a thin, flexible tube being inserted about a third of the way into the bowel (sigmoidoscopy).
The CEO of Cancer Research UK, Harpal Kumar released a statement saying, “Cancer Research UK does not often use the word ‘breakthrough’ but this is one of those rare occasions when I am going to use this word. It is extremely rare to see the results of a clinical trial which are quite as compelling as this one and which has quite the huge impact in terms of the potential for improving cancer outcomes.”
The results have been published at a precarious time for the UK, and while it’s doubtful the trail has anything to do with the election, it will have an impact on whoever comes into power. Pressure is already being mounted for a full national screening programme to be introduced and on an already stretched NHS budget; it is going to be a numbers game.
This is not a breakthrough; sigmoidoscopies have been around for years. A colonoscopy is still a better way to detect potential colon cancer. In the study quoted, 189 people died of colon cancer despite having a sigmoidoscopy. If these people had had a colonoscopy instead, many of them would still be alive.