TY - JOUR T1 - Faecal immunochemical test: challenges and opportunities for cancer diagnosis in primary care JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 366 LP - 367 DO - 10.3399/bjgp22X720209 VL - 72 IS - 721 AU - Mary Craig AU - Jeff Turner AU - Jared Torkington AU - Tom Crosby Y1 - 2022/08/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/72/721/366.abstract N2 - Colorectal cancer (CRC) disproportionately causes the second highest number of UK cancer deaths (16 600 annually) as it has the fourth highest incidence.1 The UK has the lowest 1- and 5-year bowel cancer survival rates among the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership countries,2 the majority of patients being diagnosed at late stage (III and IV). The incidence in those aged ≤50 years is increasing (particularly in 20–29-year-olds where incidence increased by 7.9% a year from 2004 to 2016).3Early-stage (I and II) bowel cancer confers 92% 5-year survival,1 and optimising faecal immunochemical test (FIT)-based bowel screening is vital to improve bowel cancer outcomes. An observational study found FIT-based screening programmes reduced participant bowel cancer mortality by 41%, dwarfing the 16% reduction demonstrated by guaiac faecal occult blood screening.4 Many GP practices are supporting bowel screening by systematically and/or opportunistically giving non-responders encouragement to participate.Endoscopy capacity has not kept pace with demand. The advent of bowel screening, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) lowering of referral thresholds (to attain early-stage diagnosis),5 and infection control restrictions/workforce levels due to the pandemic have all contributed to a crisis in endoscopy capacity. This could worsen as bowel screening uptake improves and eligibility is extended to those aged 50 years at a FIT positivity threshold of 80 µHb/g over the next few years.When NICE endorsed FIT,6 it was predicted that FIT could safely … ER -