Faecal occult blood testing in the detection of colorectal cancer

✍ Scribed by Mr. M. S. Elliot; J. H. Levenstein; J. P. Wright

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1984
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 263 KB
• Volume: 71
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0007-1323
• DOI: 10.1002/bjs.1800711017

✦ Synopsis

Faecal occult blood testing in the detection of colorectal cancer 5012 asymptomatic patients over the age of 40 years were asked by their general practitioners to perform a Hemoccult faecal blood test over 3 days. 3422 patients on a normal diet completed the test (a compliance rate of 67 per cent). Ninety-nine patients (3 per cent) had a positive result. Those patients with a positive result then underwent a second Hemoccult test over 6 days on a restricted diet. Thirty-two patients had a positive result on repeat testing ( I per cent). Only those patients who were positive on the second testing were fully investigated (including double contrast barium enema and colonoscopy). Twenty-seven patients on investigation were found to have neoplastic disease (84 per cent). Twelve had invasive carcinomas (nine Dukes' A , two Dukes' B , one Dukes' C ) and thirty-seven adenomas were identified and removed at colonoscopy (barium enema missed three carcinomas-all Dukes' A and only identified sixteen of the thirty-seven adenomas, 43 per cent). Those patients found to be negative after the second Hemoccult test are being followed up.