14-05-2025
City hosp launches ‘Colofit' to check colorectal cancer
Lucknow: Concerned over the rising incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in India, city-based Apollomedics Hospital launched a comprehensive screening initiative called 'Colofit'.
"The aim is to ensure early detection and prevention of this cancer, making treatment more accessible, reducing costs and overcoming the challenge of late diagnosis. Currently, due to delayed identification, treatment becomes more difficult and adds pressure to healthcare systems," said Dr Mayank Somani, MD and note, CRC cases in India appear in over seven men and five women per one lakh population, but the sheer size of India's population translates into a substantial number of cases. Also, the five-year survival rate for this cancer in India is less than 40%—among the lowest Somani said that under the Colofit programme, they would extend the Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) for screening. "This easy, non-invasive and highly effective diagnostic tool can detect hidden blood in the stool, a possible early sign of disease. The advantage of FIT is that it works with just one sample, offers higher accuracy, and does not require any dietary restrictions, ensuring patient comfort and convenience," he stress that colorectal cancer is no longer confined to the elderly—it is increasingly affecting younger individuals too. Yet, most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage—around 50% are detected late, and over 20% already show spread to other organs. This makes early screening and raising awareness absolutely
symptoms of colorectal cancer
should not be ignored. These include persistent changes in bowel habits (such as chronic diarrhoea or constipation), blood in stool, unexplained weight loss, and ongoing abdominal pain or discomfort. Risk factors include a low-fibre diet, physical inactivity, obesity, a family history of the disease, and certain genetic predispositions.
