Liverpool CCG FIT study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Liverpool CCG Faecal Immunochemical Test for haemoglobin study
IRAS ID
226200
Contact name
Paul Skaife
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Patients with colorectal symptoms are frequently referred to have investigations including colonic imaging. People with symptoms suggestive of colorectal cancer may be referred for urgent colonic imaging but only a fraction of those investigated urgently will actually be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Faecal immunochemical testing for haemoglobin (FIT) is a sensitive test for colorectal cancer, in that people with a negative FIT are very unlikely to have colorectal cancer. FIT has mainly been used in secondary care.
We want to assess the use of FIT in primary care in people with colorectal symptoms who are about to be referred for urgent colonic imaging. Most people referred will have colonoscopy, which is unpleasant, expensive and has a small risk of serious complications. We will compare the results of FIT with the subsequent results of colonic imaging.
FIT requires a small sample of faeces which can be obtained from the glove used to perform a rectal examination. A rectal examination is a routine examination in people with suspected colorectal cancer. The use of FIT in this study will not alter participants’ investigation or treatment in any way as they will be referred and investigated whether or not they participate and whatever the result of FIT.
We will ask participants for permission to contact them later for an interview about their views of FIT and its possible future use in guiding who has further investigation. Patients will be free to allow use of their faecal sample for the study but to decline an interview. We will use these interviews to help develop a short questionnaire for all participants to assess the acceptability of using the test to decide who should have further investigations or referral. We will also ask participating GPs to comment on their experiences of offering and carrying out the FIT test.REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NE/0086
Date of REC Opinion
7 Mar 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion