A revolutionary 90-second test could safely rule out serious bowel disease for the vast majority of patients currently referred for invasive investigations, offering hope for reducing crippling NHS waiting times.
How the Non-Invasive Test Works
Developed by Cambridge-based firm Origin Sciences in collaboration with NHS hospitals, the new procedure uses a unique sampling device called Oricol. A trained medical professional can use it to collect a small sample of rectal mucus during a brief outpatient appointment, without the need for laxatives, bowel cleansing, or sedation.
This marks a stark contrast to the current primary test, a colonoscopy, which involves inserting a flexible tube with a camera into the bowel after an uncomfortable preparatory cleanse.
The mucus lining naturally collects material shed from the colon, including human cells, microbes, and crucial tumour-related fragments. Scientists found that analysing this sample can reveal strong biological signals, including cancer-linked genetic mutations and epigenetic markers.
Clinical Trial Results and Potential Impact
The findings, published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications, are based on a study of over 800 patients across four NHS sites. The research showed the test's analysis could clearly separate patients with colorectal cancer from those with advanced polyps—precursors to cancer—and those with no significant disease.
Origin Sciences' research demonstrated the test could accurately rule out bowel disease in 80 per cent of people worried about symptoms.
Chief investigator of the TRIOMIC trial, Jon Lacy-Coulson, based at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust, stated: 'The findings of this study could fundamentally change how we approach bowel disease screening. The Oricol test could mean that 80 per cent of all patients who are currently referred for a colonoscopy could be given the all-clear without ever having to endure an invasive, uncomfortable and time-consuming colonoscopy.'
A Step Towards Prevention and Easing NHS Pressure
Hugo Lywood, CEO of Origin Sciences, emphasised that while the test does not replace colonoscopy, its ability to reliably detect precancerous polyps and advanced adenomas has the potential to shift screening from late detection to true prevention. Daniel Wise, the company's chief scientific officer, described the approach as creating a 'hologenomic profile' for diagnosis by utilising a combination of genetic, epigenetic, and microorganism biomarkers from the rectal mucus.
The innovation arrives amid a worrying surge in bowel cancer diagnoses in people under 50 over the past decade. Around 42,000 Britons are diagnosed annually, with 17,400 dying from the disease. It tragically took the life of campaigner Dame Deborah James at age 40.
Early warning signs include blood in stool, persistent changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, and abdominal pain. Doctors also warn to watch for subtler signs like iron deficiency anaemia (presenting as fatigue or breathlessness), consistently narrower 'pencil-thin' stools, and persistent bloating or abdominal discomfort.
