A widely used sampling device in colorectal cancer screening programmes allows for large-scale microbiome studies

We read with interest the article by Passamonti et al,1 reporting the performance of two different faecal immunochemical tests (FITs) highlighting the importance of standardisation and validation of screening methodologies. Conventionally, laboratory-based FIT is the preferred approach in testing for occult blood in faeces, which includes colorectal cancer screening programmes.2–4 The potential of preserving stable faecal samples in a widely used FIT buffer for microbiome research would enable prospective microbiome studies in generally healthy subjects undergoing colorectal cancer screening.

For this purpose, we evaluated faecal sample stability in the commonly used OC-Sensor (Eiken Chemical, Tokyo, Japan) under various storage conditions. Faecal samples from five healthy adult individuals were used for the analysis and exposed to 16 different conditions: immediately frozen at –86°C (with FIT (wFIT)/without FIT (woFIT)); immediately frozen at –20°C (wFIT/woFIT); wFIT stored at 4°C for 1, 2, 7, 14 days; stored at...

https://ift.tt/2MSD81N