title: Outcomes of faecal occult blood tests requested outside the UK National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Faecal occult blood test (FOBt) is commonly requested by clinicians in both primary and secondary care. The aim of this study was to examine the use and outcomes of clinician-requested FOB testing in a single Trust taking part in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme pilots.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from a single Trust was used. The Trust's pathology reporting system was searched retrospectively for all FOBt study requests in 1 year. In patients with a positive test, the Trust's clinical results reporting system was searched to determine the type and outcome of any investigations. Patients with positive tests were cross-matched with the Trust's colorectal cancer database to detect interval cancers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1363 FOB tests were requested during the calendar year. 715 (52.5%) were completed. Mean age was 60.6 years, 30.7% of patients were in the screening age group. 60 (4.4%) patients were FOBt positive. Total colonic imaging was performed in only 22% of those who were FOBt positive. Significant pathology was detected in five patients (0.4%) including three colonic carcinomas. There were no interval cancers in the FOBt-positive group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of FOBt requests has increased with the introduction of a colorectal cancer screening programme. The FOBt completion rate and colonic imaging rate in FOBt-positive patients outside the national screening programme was low. Guidelines for the use of FOBt outside of screening are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry, UK.
authors.forename: Rosie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomlins
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harmston
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000191:economics / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000191:economics / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged; D009780:Occult Blood; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013222:State Medicine / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D001466:Barium Sulfate