A fecal occult blood test will be administered to people over 45 years of age to raise awareness of the importance of early diagnosis.

Hospiten launches the 11th edition of its free annual campaign for the prevention and detection of colon cancer. To celebrate International Colon Cancer Day, which takes place on March 31, the hospital network will carry out a free Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) for people over the age of 45, with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of early detection of colon cancer.

To carry out the initiative, Hospiten will carry out fecal occult blood tests at its hospitals in Spain on March 25 and 26. Those interested can request an appointment through the online appointment system or through the Hospiten app, before March 20. On the day of the appointment they must go to the chosen center at the assigned time to hand in their two samples, which will later be analyzed in the laboratory.

On the occasion of the launch of a new edition of the campaign, Dr. Katherine Bustamante, Digestive System specialist at Hospiten Bellevue University Hospital, reminds us that early detection is key, the probability of survival can be multiplied by six when the diagnosis is made in time, and up to 90% of cases can be cured if they are identified in the early stages. "Prevention remains our best tool. A simple test can make the difference between complex treatment and early intervention with a high probability of success," he stresses.

The test can detect polyps of a certain size and is aimed at people without obvious digestive symptoms, such as visible blood in the stool, abdominal pain or recent alterations in bowel rhythm. The test consists of collecting a small stool sample which is then analyzed by immunological techniques to detect blood that is not visible to the naked eye. In cases where there are recent symptoms or a family history of colon cancer, a colonoscopy is usually recommended to complete the study.

Hospiten seeks to raise public awareness of the importance of seeing a specialist and undergoing tests to facilitate early diagnosis. It also encourages all those interested to participate in this preventive campaign.