Review article: faecal occult blood testing for colorectal cancer.
Major health organizations recommend colorectal cancer screening using faecal occult blood tests, sigmoidoscopy or both for patients 50 years of age or older who are at average risk for colorectal cancer. However, no specific recommendations have been made regarding choice of test from among the tests currently or soon to be available. Therefore, to aid clinicians in rationally choosing a particular test for faecal occult blood, published data are reviewed regarding the performance characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of the various faecal occult blood tests. New studies suggest that immunochemical tests (e.g. HemeSelect) or a combination of sensitive guaiac tests and immunochemical tests (e.g. Hemoccult Sensa and HemeSelect) are the most sensitive, specific tests for detecting colorectal carcinoma and colorectal polyps > or =1 cm.
Department of Internal Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Oakland, California 94611-5693, USA.
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Allison
D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006138:Guaiac; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009780:Occult Blood; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012812:Sigmoidoscopy; D014481:United States
D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D006138:Guaiac