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 (1 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.
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003113:Colonoscopy; D004032:Diet; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009780:Occult Blood; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
D001466:Barium Sulfate