FOB Test/Occult Blood Test/Faecal Occult Test/FOB Test Kits
Fecal occult blood testing - as its name implies - can provide clues as to subtle blood loss in the gastrointestinal tract, anywhere from the mouth to the colon.Positive tests ("positive stool") warrant further investigation for peptic ulcers or a malignancy (such as colorectal cancer or gastric cancer).
In the event of a positive faecal occult blood test, the next step in the workup is a form of visualization of the gastrointestinal tract by one of several means:
Sigmoidoscopy, an examination of the rectum and lower colon with a lighted instrument to look for abnormalities, such as polyps.
Colonoscopy, a more thorough examination of the rectum and entire colon.
Virtual colonoscopy
Endoscopy
Double contrast barium enema:A series of x-rays of the colon and rectum.
Annual testing of a population may reduce the mortality associated with colon cancer by a third, depending on the incidence of gastrointestinal cancer in that population.It is not always cost effective to screen a large population.
If colon cancer is suspected in an individual (such as in someone with an unexplained anaemia) faecal occult blood tests are typically not warranted.If a doctor suspects colon cancer, more rigorous investigation is necessary, whether or not the test is positive.
FOB Test/Faecal Occult Test/Occult Blood Test/FOB Test Kits