Pillcam: New camera pill to replace colonoscopies for bowel cancer
There is a great advancement in cancer diagnosis, with a 'PillCam' which can detect benign tumours and provide higher remission rates for patients battling cancer.
A Scottish woman named Jacqueline Gribbon from Glasgow becomes the 2000th patient on whom a technologically advanced procedure of cancer-detecting camera via the intake of a pill has been conducted.
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This technological advancement is a breakthrough in detecting bowel cancer.
Pill with a cam
A study conducted shows that the rate of detection of cancer patients is quite low via colonoscopies. It says:
Adenomas (benign tumour) should be detected in approximately 25 percent of men and 15 percent of women older than age 50 years.More under this adMore under this ad
Thankfully, Science has come up with a solution. The all-new procedure of the 'PillCam' allows doctors to see the insides of the colon itself, providing a higher rate of cancer detection and remission for the patient.
Gribbon on the pill intake says:
Didn't feel anything at all!More under this adMore under this ad
The PillCam, or Colon Capsule Endoscopy equipment, focuses on battling out bowel cancer. It travels through the digestive system, collecting 50,000 photos along the way.
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This technological advancement allows the camera in the pill to record the track of the colon and store images. The pill then needs to be excreted out by the patient.
Professor Angus Watson, consultant colorectal surgeon and clinical lead for colon capsule endoscopy, told BBC:
This test is painless and although they will still need to undergo the same cleansing preparation beforehand, all they are doing is swallowing the capsule and letting the camera do the work.More under this adMore under this ad
The single-use capsule is less invasive in nature and provides no room for discomfort.
Professor Watson adds:
This advancement in cancer diagnosis is excellent news for the people of Scotland and allows us to not only put patients first, but supports our plans as we continue to recover from the impact of the pandemic.