October 12, 2021 3 min read

If you’re considering an at-home colon cancer screening, you are taking a proactive stance to ensure your future health and well-being.

Colon cancer continues to claim the lives of approximately 50,000 Americans each year and ranks third among deaths related to cancer in both men and women, annually. The good news is that cancer of the colon has a high rate of curability and treatable when detected and treated early.

While undergoing a colonoscopy is the highest doctor-recommended method of early colon cancer detection, at-home colon cancer screenings have increased in popularity in recent years, due to their being non-invasive, convenient, and less costly.

At-home colon cancer screenings such as Pinnacle BioLabs FIT, which is short for fecal immunochemical tests are recommended by medical experts for those considered to be at average risk for developing colon cancer. But just how reliable are they?

To answer this question, let’s first look at how a colon test kit works and which type might provide the best option for you.

How FIT Tests Work

As the name implies, the Fecal Immunochemical Test screens for blood in the fecal matter.  

Often, cancerous polyps can bleed as the stool passes, but evidence of this occurrence cannot always be seen. A FIT test is an at-home colon cancer screening that utilizes antibodies to detect any blood in the stool that may be hidden from the naked eye.

To perform this test, one simply collects a stool sample into a provided container and ships it off to a laboratory for analysis. If blood is indeed found in the sample, it is considered a positive test but does not necessarily indicate colon cancer, but would be strongly recommended to get further screening, such as a colonoscopy.

Second Generation FIT

Pinnacle BioLabs Second Generation FIT at-home colon cancer screening test requires no mail-in sample, as the test results are seen at home within minutes.

These at-home colon cancer screenings use the same chemical markers as hospitals and doctors all over the U.S. to provide the exact same diagnostic elements right at home.  While medical experts recommend screenings for colon cancer begin at age 45, many insurance companies don’t cover the procedure until age 50.

Short of a full colonoscopy, Pinnacle BioLab’s Second Generation FIT tests are the most accurate and affordable option for early identification of risk indicators, with detection of globin antibodies at cutoff levels of 50 billionths of a gram with sensitivity rate of 98 percent and specificity rate of 96 percent.

How Often Should I Use an At-Home Colon Cancer Test Kit?

The greatest chance at eliminating, successfully treating or preventing colon cancer is early detection.

Medical studies have shown that early detection and treatment of polyps or tumors result in five-year survival rates up to 90%, while once they have progressed, the rate drops to around 14%. While more intensive screenings such as colonoscopies are suggested to be done every 5-7 years, medical experts suggest at-home colon cancer screenings every year. This is especially true if you exhibit higher risk factors such as being overweight, having a poor diet, smoking or drinking alcohol. If a person exhibits one or more of these factors, it is extremely important that any signs of risk for colon cancer be detected as early as possible.  

With the rise in popularity of fecal immunochemical tests, earlier detection rates will continue to help fight this deadly disease. Get your Pinnacle BioLabs FIT test today, with no tax and free shipping, and take advantage of the affordability and accuracy of our at-home colon cancer screening