title: Results of faecal immunochemical test for colorectal cancer screening, in average risk population, in a cohort of 1389 subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) in colorectal cancer screening, detection of precancerous lesions and early colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study evaluated asymptomatic patients with average risk (no personal or family antecedents of polyps or colorectal cancer), aged between 50 and 74 years. The presence of the occult haemorrhage was tested with the immunochemical faecal test Hem Check 1 (Veda Lab, France). The subjects were not requested to have any dietary or drug restrictions. Colonoscopy was recommended in all subjects that tested positive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our study, we had a total of 1389 participants who met the inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 61.2 ± 12.8 years, 565 (40.7%) men and 824 (59.3%) women. FIT was positive in 87 individuals (6.3%). In 57/87 subjects (65.5%) with positive FIT, colonoscopy was performed, while the rest of the subjects refused or delayed the investigation. A number of 5 (8.8%) patients were not able to have a complete colonoscopy, due to neoplastic stenosis. The colonoscopies revealed in 10 cases (0.7%) cancer, in 29 cases (2.1%) advanced adenomas and in 15 cases (1.1%) non advanced adenomas from the total participants in the study. The colonoscopies performed revealed a greater percentage of advanced adenomas in the left colon compared to the right colon, 74.1% vs. 28.6% (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study, FIT had a positivity rate of 6.3%. The detection rate for advanced neoplasia was 2.8% (0.7% for cancer, 2.1% for advanced adenomas) in our study group. Adherence to colonoscopy for FIT-positive subjects was 65.5%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Vasile Goldiş West University, Arad, Romania ; Department of Gastroenterology, Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Miuţescu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Ioan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sporea
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bota
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Vasile Goldiş West University, Arad, Romania.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iovănescu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Vasile Goldiş West University, Arad, Romania.
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burlea
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Vasile Goldiş West University, Arad, Romania.
authors.forename: Liana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mos
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Vasile Goldiş West University, Arad, Romania.
authors.forename: Eftimie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miuţescu
keywords: advanced adenoma; colorectal cancer; faecal immunochemical test; occult bleeding; screening