Could a simple water trick help more doctors screen for colon cancer?
NCT ID NCT03208283
First seen Jul 07, 2026 · Last updated Jul 08, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares two ways of inserting a flexible sigmoidoscope—a scope used to screen for colorectal cancer—during training for primary care doctors and nurse endoscopists. One group uses the standard air inflation method, while the other uses sterile water to gently open the colon. The goal is to see if the water method helps trainees complete the procedure more often and with less discomfort for patients, potentially making screening easier to learn and more comfortable.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If the water method improves training, it could make colorectal cancer screening more accessible by enabling more primary care doctors to perform the procedure effectively.
- What could go wrong
- This is a training study, not a direct test of cancer detection. The water method may not improve learning or patient comfort as hoped, and results may not apply to all settings.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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408 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Oct 2014
- Finished
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Dec 2023
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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50 to 70 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Consecutive asymptomatic patients suitable for CRC screening by FS * Age 50 - 70 years * Written informed consent available Exclusion Criteria: * Contraindications for endoscopy due to comorbidities * Unable to provide written informed consent * Personal history of polyposis syndrome, personal history of CRC, personal history of inflammatory bowel disease * Coagulopathy (INR\>1.5) or thrombocytopenia (platelets \<50,000) * Pregnant patients
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Centre for Digestive Health, Institute of Digestive Disease, Chinese University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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