Colruyt begins selling at-home bowel cancer tests
The Belgian supermarket chain Colruyt has begun selling a range of self-tests, including one for bowel cancer, the company announced in a press release on Friday.
The tests are available in the para-pharmaceutical section of 175 stores. The bowel cancer test has been on sale since mid-October. Interest in such tests has risen in recent weeks following public testimonies highlighting the importance of early detection and renewed calls for people to get screened.
Gastroenterologist Luc Colemont welcomes the availability of these self-tests in supermarkets. Speaking to Het Laatste Nieuws, he said he hopes that lowering the threshold will encourage more people to take a test. “On the one hand, these self-tests are a useful supplement to the population screening programme for bowel cancer. All Flemish residents aged between 50 and 74 receive a free stool test every two years, but only 48 per cent actually carry it out. And one in three bowel cancers is diagnosed in people over 74, who are no longer invited for screening. For that age group in particular, a self-test is highly advisable.”
Screening should really begin at 45, as is already the case in the United States and Luxembourg
“On the other hand, we are increasingly seeing bowel cancer in people under 50,” Colemont continued. “This is partly due to less healthy lifestyles, more processed food, changes in gut flora, and many factors we still do not understand. Bowel cancer is complex, but the numbers speak for themselves. Screening should really begin at 45, as is already the case in the United States and Luxembourg. To give you an idea: in Belgium, there are 21 new diagnoses every day and seven people die of the disease daily. My message is clear: take the test. It can save lives, spare suffering, and reduce healthcare costs.”
According to the non-profit Stop Darmkanker, 2,500 people die from bowel cancer in Belgium each year, nine in ten of whom are aged over 50. One in twenty people will face the disease at some point in their lives. Earlier this year, the retail chain Kruidvat also began selling a bowel cancer self-test.
Colruyt stores are additionally offering self-tests for urinary tract infections, menopause, vitamin D deficiency and iron deficiency. “By placing these health products alongside everyday groceries, we are taking steps to make a healthy lifestyle more accessible and affordable,” said Thijs Lamote, para-pharma buyer at Colruyt. “People today place far greater importance on their health and invest more in prevention. This new range aims to support them in doing so.”
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS
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