A method for isolating viable, biologically substantially pure exfoliated fecal colonocytes at normal ambient temperature is described. Immunocoprocytes and inflammatory cells indicative of certain gastrointestinal conditions and a noninvasive method for detecting colorectal cancer are set forth. Composition of transport and suspension media for isolation of colonocytes are detailed.
Two dimensional COSY magnetic resonance spectroscopy of human stool can be used in a non-invasive method of detecting the presence of colorectal cancer. The spectrum of a patient's stool is compared with that of stool from non-cancerous subjects, observed differences in spectra being indicative of cancer.