EZ Detect is, a non-invasive, two-minute test for occult blood, which requires no dietary restrictions and no handling of stool. A user simply drops a test tissue into the toilet. A blue-green color will appear on the tissue within two minutes if blood is detected. The test is repeated for three consecutive bowel movements, with results recorded on a Test Results Card provided with the EZ Detect Kit. The person then mails the card to his or her physician or screening center for professional evaluation.
Not all positive results indicate colorectal cancer. A positive result may also indicate ulcers, hemorrhoids, polyps, colitis, diverticulitis or fissures that may not show visible symptoms even though they are producing blood in the stool. EZ Detect can therefore serve as an early warning signal of bowel troubles that need medical attention.
A promising long-term study of 46,000 people, released in March 1999 by The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, proved that using a Fecal Occult Blood Test every year could prevent up to 33,000 deaths nationwide by catching and treating the disease in its early stages. The findings prompted government health officials to announce a new campaign to encourage all Americans over 50 to annually use a fecal occult blood test and led to the U.S. Senate declaring March 2000 “National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month”.