MEDICA 2019


technology as Measure, helping to produce results that the company describe as faster and more hygienic when compared to other tests.


Oxford MEStar’s market development


manager, Dr Fabio Bianchi, explained: “To increase your chances of early detection, doctors recommend the faecal occult blood test (FOB test), which looks for the early signs of bowel cancer by checking for invisible blood in your stool. If the cancer is detected before it develops and spreads to other areas, there is a greater chance it will be cured. “Measure was created with exactly this in mind - it is a digital faecal occult blood testing device that’s available ‘over the counter’ to all, allowing anyone to carry out a medical quality screening check in the privacy of their home, whether they think they might have blood in their stool, or they have a family history of bowel cancer. “The important thing is being given the chance to catch bowel cancer early on, when it’s treatable and manageable. “Research shows that more than nine in 10 bowel cancer patients will survive bowel cancer for more than five years if diagnosed at the earliest stage. While bowel cancer survival is improving, ensuring people have access to the right test and regular screening is vital.”


Detecting invisible blood


Bowel cancer screening involves having tests to check if you have or are at risk of developing bowel cancer. About one in 20 people will get bowel cancer during their lifetime. Screening helps to detect bowel cancer at an early stage, when it’s treatable. It is also helpful in checking for small growths in the bowel called polyps, benign growths inside the colon which most intestinal cancers develop from. Polyps are typically painless and can often survive undetected for many years before becoming malignant. Colon polyps do, however, bleed occasionally, releasing tiny amounts of blood into the intestine that can later be detected in stools. The microscopic amounts of blood involved are invisible to the naked eye, hence the medical term faecal occult blood. Faecal occult blood is not necessarily a sign of bowel cancer, however, and can also result from other gastrointestinal disorders such as diverticulitis and colitis. The important thing is, if the test detects traces of blood, to seek medical advice from a GP/doctor as soon as possible to determine the cause of bleeding.


among people in their 20s. Yet statistics show that 50% of adults would not talk to their GP first if they were experiencing bowel problems, and those aged 25-34 are the group least likely to do so. This is another key area where Oxford MEStar sees its technology being able to help, advocating the benefits of self-testing in diagnosing a problem that could potentially be life- threatening and where early evaluation is vital, but which can also carry with it an element of discomfort. Dr. Bianchi added: “The test is available for anyone to use in the comfort and privacy of their home. It allows you to take control of your own health, especially nowadays that most people would rather Google their symptoms rather than consult their GP. “Patients benefit from a method for at- home self-testing for FOB which is easy to use, does not lead to confusion or result interpretation, and is fast and hygienic. Samples don’t need to be posted anywhere, and there is also no need to store samples anywhere (some tests recommend you keep them in the fridge!).”


While regular screening for bowel cancer can reduce the risk of death by 25%, NHS bowel cancer screening is only offered to people aged 55 or over in the UK. Those who are 60 to 74 years of age are invited to do a home testing kit every two years. Yet half of these tests are never returned. On top of being seen as unpleasant to use (as the test requires smearing of faeces onto a reaction card), the lengthy and anxious wait for results resulting from having to post the samples to a laboratory also acts as a deterrent, an issue which Oxford MEStar says its innovative device has been designed to resolve. Dr. Bianchi continued: “Our self-testing


kit is very different. Each test takes just 40 seconds, and the final result is visible after three easy home-tests. Cancers do not always bleed, therefore conducting multiple tests is recommended to increase the likelihood of catching intermittent bleeding, which is something that Measure delivers. “The digital self-testing kit provides an alternative solution that quickly gives you the answer you need, either for peace of mind or to encourage you to seek medical advice. Furthermore, it has been designed to be as user-friendly and fuss-free as possible.”


Self-testing for bowel cancer


Recent studies have shown that bowel cancer is becoming more common in young adults, with the most significant increase


Research shows that more than nine in 10 bowel cancer patients will survive bowel cancer for more than five years


if diagnosed at the earliest stage. Dr Fabio Bianchi, Oxford MEStar


62 I WWW.CLINICALSERVICESJOURNAL.COM


Using technology to test stool samples


Measure Bowel Health is an electronic Faecal Occult Blood Test (eFOB) based on a similar testing principle to the NHS guaiac Faecal Occult Blood (gFOB) Screening Standard. The use of technology, however, spells a step change in the way bowel cancer has previously been tested. The in-vitro diagnostic device works by using patented electrochemical technology to test stool samples, analysing the peroxidase activity that indicates the presence of blood, and comparing this to a software-set detection threshold. Dr. Bianchi said: “The technology behind the IVD test comes from over 10 years of R&D at Oxford and Glasgow universities. We have a strong partnership with Bowel & Cancer Research, a charity focused on funding high-quality research in bowel disease including cancer. “Traditionally, FOB testing has been carried out either using guaiac paper or by immunochemical tests (FIT). Our in-vitro diagnostic device works on a patented electrochemical technology, which converts the presence of blood in stool into a measurable electrical signal. The advantage of this is a) that the test takes much less time (less than 1 minute) to give a result; and b) that the test can be packaged in a significantly more user-friendly way compared to other tests.”


The self-testing kit comes with a digital reader and three sealed test kits (each containing a collection sheet, a sampler and a cartridge). To increase chances of catching intermittent bleeding, three separate stool tests are carried out and recorded. The reader stores results from each individual test and a final result is displayed after all three tests are completed. If any blood is detected


OCTOBER 2019


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