THE NHS is testing miniature cameras that patients can swallow to have their cancer tested.
The coronavirus pandemic has slowed down cancer treatments and disrupted other medical services.
It is also known as Colon capsule endoscopy, a painless procedure that uses a camera to screen patients for bowel cancer.
The cameras are the most recent NHS invention to allow patients to get cancer screenings at home.
The latest technology can provide a diagnosis within hours.
The capsule cameras will be given to an initial group of 11,000 NHS patients in more than 40 locations across England.
Bowel cancer is the third most common form of cancer worldwide. Most people diagnosed with it are over the age of 60.
During the coronavirus pandemic, the NHS prioritized cancer care, and the latest statistics show that hospitals performed more than two cancer treatments for every COVID-19 patient.
However, according to Cancer Research UK, 2,000 fewer people in England began cancer treatment in January.
The cameras would aid in the checks’ speeding up, allowing for the detection of more cancers at an earlier stage when they are easier to treat.
The capsule endoscopy lasts typically five to eight hours and delivers complete bowel images, with footage sent to a data recorder.
By Shivalika Puri (@Shivalikapuri)
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