Colon Cancer Kills
Colorectal cancer kills almost 53,000 people in the U.S. every year — men and women equally, and no one is immune. While therapies to treat colon cancer have improved, our strongest weapon against this deadly disease is reliable colorectal cancer testing and early detection. With early detection, five-year survival rates are above 90%. Once the disease has progressed to other organs and systems of the body, survival rates fall to 14%. Second Generation FIT® is changing the outcomes of colon cancer with simplified testing for all, designed to get the right people to colonoscopy.
Getting Tested Is Key
Fecal immunochemical tests detect colon cancer, diverticulitis, colitis, Crohn’s disease, and other lower GI disease states by looking for nano particles of a protein in blood, — a universally accepted biomarker for colorectal cancer et. al. While colonoscopies are generally recommended for those age 45 and over, the truth is that many younger people are discovering they have early stage colorectal cancer, and the FIT test is an easy detection method. Many people were shocked by the death of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman at the age of 43 from colon cancer. A tragedy like this just underscores the necessity of an annual at-home colon cancer test - no matter your age.
At Home Testing vs. Colonoscopy
The FIT test is considered as effective a screening tool for colorectal cancer as a colonoscopy according to the most recent American College of Gastroenterology Colon Cancer Screening Guidelines.¹ Colonoscopies can be very disruptive to daily life for asymptomatic screening, with multi-day preparatory period in which you are allowed to eat very little, and a notorious bowel preparation (colon cleaning part of the process) regimen. With Pinnacle's at home FIT test, the entire process takes five to ten minutes, with results that approach the diagnostic accuracy of colonoscopy.