The qFIT test - used in the NHS and the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme - is a FIT stool test that picks up blood in the stool which can be caused by bowel cancer. So if you've got gut symptoms or just want to screen for bowel cancer, this is the test for you.
Use our easy at home bowel cancer test kit to send a stool sample to our UKAS-accredited lab partner (who also test for the NHS). You'll get your FIT test result and doctor's report with recommendations in days.
TESTS FOR:
Depending on your age, sex and any symptoms, you may consider adding to your test panel.
Our qFIT Bowel Cancer Screening Test is for you if...
You've got gut symptoms like a change in bowel habit, stomach pain or weight loss.
You've got no symptoms but just want to screen for bowel cancer.
You want the same test used in the NHS and the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.
You want results fast with a doctor's recommendation on what to do next.
How does the
qFIT Bowel Cancer Screening Test help you?
Dr Claire Merrifield
GP & PhD
our medical director
Bowel cancer is common and will affect around 1-in-15 of us. It's commonest over the age of 50 but more and more people under 50 are getting it. The main symptoms of bowel cancer include:
- A change in bowel habits
- Stomach pain or lumps
- Weight loss
- Unexplained fatigue or tiredness
- Blood in the stool
In the early stages, many people with bowel cancer have no symptoms but we can still pick up bowel cancer early with a FIT stool test by testing for tiny amounts of blood in your stool (that you wouldn’t be able to see) with a “quantitative faecal immunochemical test” or qFIT. The sooner you detect bowel cancer, the better your chances of beating it.
Our qFIT test is the same test that is used in the NHS, which invites people aged 60-74 to take a qFIT test every two years. The start age is coming down to 50 on a regional basis.
What do the FIT test results mean?
Your bowel cancer FIT result will include your actual FIT level and a report from one of our doctors explaining what your level means. You'll also be able to download your formal lab report so you can easily share it with your doctor.
A negative FIT test result means that no blood was detected in your stool and it's very unlikely that you have bowel cancer.
A positive FIT test result means that blood was detected in your stool and you'll get a number with the amount of blood in the stool, measured in micrograms per gram of stool (µg/g). This is usually between 4 and 200µg/g. The higher the number, the more likely it is that bowel cancer is the cause.
| FIT level (µg/g) | Risk of having bowel cancer (approx.) |
| Less than 4 (“negative”) | 1 in 1000 |
| 4 - 9.9 | 1 in 160 |
| 10 - 99.9 | 1 in 30 |
| 100 or higher | 1 in 5 |
Limitations of the bowel cancer FIT test
Although qFIT tests are one of the best tests we have to pick up bowel cancer early, they're not perfect:
- Around 1 in 1000 people can have a negative qFIT test but later be found to have bowel cancer.
- Most people with a positive qFIT test do not have bowel cancer. Remember, a qFIT test doesn't diagnose bowel cancer, it just looks for the presence of blood in the stool.
- If a qFIT test picks up blood in your stool, you may need a camera test to look inside the bowel to know what's caused it.
What's tested
and why?
Bowel Cancer Screening Test
Bowel cancer affects 1-in-15 of us and the main symptoms are a change in bowel habit, stomach pain and blood in the stool.
WHAT'S MEASURED?
It's best not to take this test while you're on your period.
This simple stool test checks for tiny amounts of blood in the stool which you wouldn't be able to see. Blood in the stool can be a sign of a bowel polyp or cancer. If you have a positive result then we would usually recommend that you have a further test, such as a bowel camera test or colonoscopy, to have a look inside the bowel. If you have a negative test then it's very unlikely that you have bowel cancer.
When you take a FIT stool test with us, we'll give you the actual numeric value returned by the lab. We consider any amount of blood detected by a FIT to be a positive test. This is because studies show that, if you have bowel symptoms, even a very low FIT level of 4-9µg/g can be caused by bowel cancer. Different qFIT thresholds are considered "positive" in the NHS. If you have gut symptoms and take a qFIT test with your GP, they would generally only consider a result of 10µg/g to be positive. If you take a qFIT test as part of the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, they only consider a result of 120µg/g to be positive.
Firstly, it's important to stress that most people with a positive FIT result (even if the level is high) do not have bowel cancer. They have another cause for the blood, such as haemorrhoids (piles). If you have a positive FIT result, we will advise you to see your GP. They will go through your symptoms and medical history. They will discuss with you whether further tests, such as a colonoscopy to look inside the bowel, are necessary.
We do not recommend using this test panel if you:
- are a child (17 years or under)
- are pregnant
- are feeling acutely unwell - e.g. with a cold or flu or if you have new-onset (i.e. within the last few days) gut symptoms like stomach pain or diarrhoea.
If you're unsure if you should use this test panel, please contact us for advice.
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