title: Screening of patients after surgery for colorectal carcinoma: value of faecal occult blood testing and flexible sigmoidoscopy.
abstract: Sixty asymptomatic patients aged less than 65 years, who had survived for more than two years after resection for colorectal carcinoma were tested for faecal occult blood loss using Hemoccult-II (six slides). In 55 patients, a double-contrast barium-enema X-ray examination was also performed, and 41 patients underwent flexible sigmoidoscopy. In two cases a positive Hemoccult result was obtained and no colonic lesion was found in one of these patients. Six patients who gave a negative Hemoccult result were found to have adenomatous polyps. Faecal occult blood testing is unsatisfactory for detection of polyps. Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a rapid and safe examination and complements radiology in the screening of patients.
mesh_terms: D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007417:Intestinal Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000175:diagnosis; D009780:Occult Blood; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D012812:Sigmoidoscopy