BGI Genomics, In Cooperation With Zentya, Launches A Stool DNA Test For The Detection Of Colon Cancer On The Slovak Market

Bratislava /PRNewswire/ - BGI Genomics is pleased to announce that, in cooperation with its partner, Zentya, it has started offering the COLOTECT ^TM 1.0 screening test on the Slovak market. Zentya is a Slovak company that offers the latest technologies in the field of genetic screening with the aim of helping patients to identify risks early and enable timely treatment.

COLOTECT ^TM 1.0 is one of the very first stool DNA tests to detect colorectal cancer available in Slovakia. It is a non-invasive DNA test for the detection of colorectal cancer and precancerous lesions. It uses PCR (polymerase chain reaction) multiplex methylation technology to monitor abnormal colorectal cancer DNA methylation biomarkers from stool samples.

A press conference was also held in Bratislava on the occasion of the launch of the product. Among the invited speakers were Mudr. Martin Huroka (chief expert in gastroenterology of the Ministry of Health), Mudr. Lucia Starovecká Copák (specialist in medical genetics) and Mudr. Jozef Dolinský (clinical oncologist).

Sage. Martin Huroka explained that age and family history are important factors in the incidence of colorectal cancer. "The risk of colorectal cancer increases dramatically after age 50 or with a positive family history. Colon cancer is almost 100% preventable and regular preventive examinations can save many lives ," said Dr. Huroka.

Early detection is key to preventing colorectal cancer and improving overall survival rates, as the progression of the disease is generally very slow. It can take 10 to 15 years for the normal epithelium to develop into an adenomatous polyp and then undergo malignant transformation to become colorectal cancer.

" With early diagnosis (early localized stage), up to 90% of patients can achieve a five-year survival. When diagnosed in the metastatic stage, however, only 10 to 15% of patients achieve five-year survival. From an economic point of view, the treatment of an early-diagnosed disease is also much cheaper than the treatment of advanced cancer ," said Dr. Dolinský.

The availability of the COLOTECT TM 1.0 examination in Slovakia provides an easy and convenient alternative for accurate screening and detection. Its sensitivity for detecting colorectal cancer is 88% and specificity for identifying people without advanced colorectal cancer is 92%. From the point of view of early detection, its sensitivity of 46% in the case of an advanced adenoma is the most important ," pointed out Dr. Lucia Starovecká Copák.

COLOTECT ^TM 1.0 is CE marked and available in more than 20 countries in Southeast Europe, including Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Portugal and many others.

Information on availability in Slovakia can be found at www.colotect.sk. For other countries, contact BGI Genomics at info@bgi.com .