Mayo Clinic Care Network Content
Articles

At-home colon cancer tests

Content

Routine colon cancer screening offers options besides colonoscopy. Learn about at-home stool tests and how they help find cancer.

If your healthcare professional has recommended colon cancer screening, you may think you have only one option — a colonoscopy. But many tests can help detect signs of cancer. At-home stool tests are one example.

Screening tests are for people who aren't at a high risk of colorectal cancer and who don't have symptoms of colon or rectum cancer. These symptoms may include blood in the stool or in the toilet. Other symptoms include pain in your abdomen, a change in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss or a blood clot in the lung.