Glowing poop could one day save people from having a dreaded colonoscopy.

McMaster University researchers are working to find an easier and cheaper way of being sure a patient has colorectal cancer. The hope is that patients could one day just provide a stool sample — and once mixed with a fluorescent substance — it would glow if cancer is present.

The method has been used previously to detect bacteria like e.coli. The Canadian Cancer Society provided a $200,000 grant to see if it can be applied to cancer.

Image: CNW Group/Canadian Cancer Society