Possible new test....

Shining a Light on Colon Testing – Researchers at Northwestern University have been developing a technique called enhanced backscattering spectroscopy, or EBS, which will help in early colon cancer detection. With EBS, light sent through a fiber optic cable shines on human tissue and scatters. About 10 percent of the signal scatters back toward the instrument and is received by sensors and analyzed by computer. That signal contains a wealth of information about the cells, a much more detailed analysis than has ever been possible. In that analysis, it has been discovered that precancerous activity in one area of the body can be spotted in nearby areas, called a "field effect." The researchers see this as a way to provide a relatively cheap, non-invasive, comfortable screening tool for colon cancer. The National Institutes of Health are funding two large-scale studies on EBS, and the data continue to be very strong. Summary based on an article by: The Chicago Tribune