New Stool Test Said More Accurate in Screening for Colorectal Cancer

A new laboratory test that looks for the enzyme Tumor M2-PK in stool samples may be significantly more accurate than the fecal occult blood test in screening for colorectal cancer, according to test's developer.

With this new test, it is possible in 85 percent of cases to identify colorectal cancer at an early stage, according to Charles Hrushka, president of ScheBo-Biotech AG.

The test employs a new procedure for detecting Tumor M2-PK, a key enzyme for the regulation of tumor metabolism in the human body, in a pea-sized stool sample, Hruska said.

The new test is far more accurate than the tests of stool samples for occult blood, Hruska said, and can also recognize precancerous stages of colorectal cancer.

The test is expected to startl become available later this month, he added.

Other Sources: ScheBo-Biotech AG