FIT hailed as ‘game changer’ in colorectal cancer fight
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From left: Enrolled Assistant Nurse Codner and Registered Nurse Dawes from the Savanna-la-mar Health Centre; Novlin Leslie Little, parish manager, Westmoreland Public Health Services; Dr Beverley Wright, regional cancer programme coordinator at the Western Regional Health Authority; Dr Shanique Kerr, assistant cancer coordinator, Westmoreland Public Health Services; and Dr Marcia Graham, medical officer of health and Westmoreland public health officer.
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Kimberley Mathurin Legore (left), community health aid; and Carol Beharie, senior public health nurse in the Westmoreland Public Health Services, at the FIT launch ceremony.
WESTERN BUREAU:
Cancer survivor Dr Beverley Wright, the regional cancer programme coordinator, has described the introduction of the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) in western Jamaica as a “game changer” in the fight against colorectal cancer, which has emerged as the third most common cancer in the island.
“The Faecal Immunochemical Test is a game changer, and an even better early indicator of colorectal cancer by identifying human blood products that are not visible to the naked eye,” Wright said during the recent launch of the FIT programme, which is being rolled out by the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), through Westmoreland Public Health Services (WPHS), at the Savanna-la-Mar Health Centre.
The launch, held under the theme, ‘FIT Test for Colon Cancer Screening – Know Your Body, Love Your Body, Treat Your Body Right’, highlighted the fact that FIT is a stool-based screening test that detects hidden blood in the stool, which can provide an early indication of colorectal cancer or other conditions requiring further investigation.
Wright said the test would make screening more accessible while improving on some of the limitations of the Faecal Occult Blood Test, previously used to screen for hidden blood.
“We have been using the Faecal Occult Blood Test to screen for hidden blood in the stools, but it requires extensive preparation, dietary restrictions, and multiple samples,” she said.
Wright said the introduction of FIT represents an advancement in efforts to combat colorectal cancer through early detection and intervention.
“This FIT pilot programme therefore represents advancement in the national strategy to combat colorectal cancer through early detection and proactive intervention,” she said.
Wright, while noting that integrating FIT into primary healthcare services could improve health outcomes and save lives, urged Jamaicans to change their attitude towards screening.
She stressed that screening should not be viewed with fear but as an opportunity to know one’s health status and act early.
Jamaica’s national colorectal cancer screening guidance recognises FIT as an option, while current Ministry of Health and Wellness guidance recommends annual stool-based screening for adults aged 45 and older. People with a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or intestinal polyps may require earlier or more intensive screening based on medical advice.
albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com