They may say ‘ignorance is bliss’ but we disagree. We prefer to say ‘knowledge is power’. The earlier you know about something, the more options you have. That’s why bowel screening is so important.
ColoVantage® Home makes bowel screening easy so you can live your life well. With our kit, you don’t need to touch your poo, you don’t need to change your diet and you don’t need to keep revolting samples in your fridge for days. Here’s how our screening process works.
Decide you're going to do it
Bowel cancer develops slowly, often without obvious symptoms. About 90% of cases can be treated successfully if identified early.
We prioritise the things that are important to us – your health should be on that list. No matter how busy you are, you can spare a few minutes for bowel screening.
Doing it once sets off a virtuous cycle – 80% of people who’ve done it once, complete their screening again when it’s next due.
Order your test
Visit www.colovantage.com.au or request a test kit from your local GP or pharmacy.
Our test is suitable for any age group – unlike the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program which only covers 50-74-year-olds. But bowel cancer is becoming more common in younger age groups. About 10% of cases now occur in under-50s. Our test has got you covered, even if the national program hasn’t.
Take the test
The test comes with simple, easy-to-follow instructions. If you have cleaning fluids or bluing agents in your toilet bowl or tank then you need to remove them and flush at least twice until clear before you do the test.
The key tips for a good test are to:
- Follow your usual diet – no need to stop certain foods with us
- Do a poo – leave it in the toilet bowl. Don’t scoop the poop!
- Collect a sample of the toilet bowl water with the supplied brush, then flush
- Store and protect your sample on the Test Card following the instructions provided (it doesn’t need to be refrigerated)
- Do it again – we need two separate samples of toilet bowl water from two different bowel motions.
Its important to know that some things can cause an incorrect result. Please don’t perform the test if:
- You have bleeding piles or haemorrhoids
- There’s any blood visible in your urine, stool or toilet bowl or any bleeding cuts on your hands
- You’re on your period, finished it less than 3 days ago or are due to start in less than 3 days
- Your toilet bowl is rusty or contains saltwater
- The test card has passed its expiration date, looks damaged or dirty or seems like it’s been tampered with.
Send it back to us
Post your test back to us using the pre-paid envelope provided with your kit. Once we receive your test, we process it in our laboratory using a sophisticated immunoassay to look for any blood in your sample.
Get your results
Within approximately 24 hours of our lab receiving your test kit, we will SMS or email you notification that your results are ready. You can then log into our online portal and view, download or print your results.
Take the next step
A negative result means we didn’t find any blood in your sample. That’s good news but we would still encourage you to see your GP if you have any concerns about your bowel health.
A positive test means that blood was detected – if that happens you should see your doctor about the next steps. Your doctor may ask you to have some further tests done to find out why the blood is there.
Ready to get started?
By now, you know that, with a ColoVantage® Home test, you can enjoy all the benefits of bowel screening without the yuckier aspects.
It’s time to prioritise your health. Visit www.colovantage.com.au or request a test kit from your local pharmacy.
Disclaimer
*All information is general and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always follow directions for use.