The fecal occult blood test detects hidden blood in stool and can indicate early signs of colorectal cancer. It is easy to do at home with a kit provided by a doctor, but false positives can occur from certain foods and medications. It is recommended for individuals over 50 to have an annual screening.
The fecal occult blood test is a specific laboratory test used to find blood in the stool. The term occult means hidden. This test is sometimes referred to as a stool quaiac test. A positive test result could be an early indicator of colorectal cancer. This is why many doctors rely on this test to get an idea of when further testing may be needed.
The fecal occult blood test is easy to do. Many people will be able to do this test at home with a kit provided by their doctor. A small stool sample is obtained using a wooden applicator. The stool is smeared on a test card and the card is then sealed and taken back to the doctor’s office. Usually, your doctor will want to obtain three stool guaiac tests from three different stool samples.
Once the doctor receives the sample card, they will apply a developing agent to the sample. If the agent turns blue, blood may be present. It is possible for these tests to detect blood in small quantities. The test will start going positive if you have only 2 teaspoons (10 mL) of blood in your stool.
Colorectal cancer isn’t the only condition that can cause a positive result when using this type of blood test. Individuals who have bleeding ulcers or diverticulitis may test positive for blood in their stool. A fecal occult blood test cannot diagnose cancer. It is simply a tool to indicate that there may be a problem.
Before performing a fecal occult blood test, an individual should avoid red meat and vitamin C supplements. These two things can sometimes cause a false positive result. There are also some foods that can produce a false positive. Beets, carrots and cauliflower are just some of the foods that can make the test falsely positive.
An individual should not have fecal occult blood testing done if they have diarrhea or are menstruating. Constipation and flaring hemorrhoids would be reasons to delay testing as well. These conditions are all minor problems, but they can produce small amounts of blood in the stool.
Some medications such as iron supplements and bismuth products can cause stools to turn black. Black stools are a sign of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Doing a fecal occult blood test can help determine whether your black stools are caused by bleeding or by medications.
It is recommended that individuals over the age of 50 have an annual fecal occult blood test. This should be a routine screening much like an annual Pap smear or mammogram. In most cases, when cancer is detected early, the chances of long-term survival are much better.
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