Hello and thanks for posting,

Calprotectin is a test to estimate any inflammation in the bowel. It can be useful when other bowel diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease for example, is suspected. It is a useful test to distinguish between irritable bowel disease (non inflammatory), and inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis.

So, calprotectin is not used as a standard marker test for bowel cancer, it is the FIT test that provides a level as part of bowel cancer population screening. There are certain criteria for referring people for a colonoscopy after these results. This will depend on the results of either or both tests, the clinical symptoms reported, and the need then for an urgent or non urgent referral for colonoscopy.

I hope that this helps,

Best wishes,

Vanda