Backlog for colonoscopy appointments could be cleared by raising test threshold, study suggests

Temporarily raising the threshold for the national bowel cancer screening programme could help clear the backlog of patients waiting for colonoscopy appointments, researchers have suggested.The current policy in England is to send out a home faecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit to people between the ages of 60 and 74 every two years. Those with a faecal haemoglobin (f-Hb) concentration of 120 μg/g are then invited for a colonoscopy.A study1 published in the British Journal of Cancer suggests that raising the f-Hb threshold to 180 μg/g would be a better option than changing the gap between screening invitations.During the pandemic, screening invitations were suspended in many areas, including England. As cancer screening services recover there are challenges clearing backlogs, in particular because of reduced throughput as a result of measures to minimise the risk of transmission of covid-19.Adding to the demand for colonoscopy appointments is the expansion of the bowel cancer…
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