What is a fecal occult blood test?
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Johns Hopkins Medicine answered:Growths in the colon and rectum are known to bleed early in their development. An inexpensive, easy-to-perform screening tool is the test for occult (hidden) blood in the stool, called the fecal occult blood test.
Patients are asked to consume diets high in fiber and restrict the consumption of red meat, vitamin C, and NSAID drugs for several days prior to testing. Since adenomas and other tumors bleed intermittently, samples are taken from three successive stool specimens.
The patient is given three small cards and asked to provide samples from three consecutive bowel movements. A small amount of stool is placed on a special test strip on each card. This stool may be tested in the doctor's office or sent to a laboratory to see if there is any occult blood in the specimen.
Positive results indicate the need for a complete examination of the colon. The sensitivity of fecal occult blood testing ranges from 30 percent to 92 percent.
Growths in the colon and rectum are known to bleed early in their development. An inexpensive, easy-to-perform screening tool is the test for occult (hidden) blood in the stool, called the fecal occult blood test. Patients are asked to... More -
American Cancer Society answered:The fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is used to find occult (hidden) blood in feces. The idea behind this test is that blood vessels at the surface of larger colorectal polyps or cancers are often fragile and easily damaged by the passage of feces. The damaged vessels usually release a small amount of blood into the feces, but only rarely is there enough bleeding to be visible in the stool.
The FOBT detects blood in the stool through a chemical reaction. This test cannot tell whether the blood is from the colon or from other parts of the digestive tract (such as the stomach). If this test is positive, a colonoscopy is needed to see if there is a cancer, polyp, or other cause of bleeding such as ulcers, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis (tiny pouches that form at weak spots in the colon wall), or inflammatory bowel disease (colitis).
This screening test is done with a kit that you can use in the privacy of your own home. An FOBT done during a digital rectal exam in the doctor's office is not sufficient for screening. In order to be beneficial the test must be repeated every year.
People having this test will receive a kit with instructions from their doctor's office or clinic. The kit will explain how to take a stool or feces sample at home (usually specimens from 3 consecutive bowel movements that are smeared onto small squares of paper). The kit should then be returned to the doctor's office or medical lab (usually within 2 weeks) for testing.The fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is used to find occult (hidden) blood in feces. The idea behind this test is that blood vessels at the surface of larger colorectal polyps or cancers are often fragile and easily damaged by the passage of feces.... More -
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital answered:A fecal occult blood test checks for hidden (occult) blood in the stool. It involves placing a very small amount of stool on a special card, which is then tested in the physician's office or sent to a laboratory.A fecal occult blood test checks for hidden (occult) blood in the stool. It involves placing a very small amount of stool on a special card, which is then tested in the physician's office or sent to a laboratory. More -
Dr. Manoj Mehta of NorthShore University HealthSystem answered:The fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is a stool sample that is analyzed for blood. Occult means it is not visible, but is measurable chemically. So, this is blood you would not see but may be dissolved in the stool. FOBT is a screening test, but a weak one, as bleeding from a tumor can be intermittent.The fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is a stool sample that is analyzed for blood. Occult means it is not visible, but is measurable chemically. So, this is blood you would not see but may be dissolved in the stool. FOBT is a screening test,... More -
A fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is used to find small amounts of hidden (occult) blood in the stool. A sample of stool is tested for traces of blood. People having this test will receive a kit with instructions that explain how to take stool samples at home. The kit is then sent to a lab for testing. If the test is positive, further tests will be done to pinpoint the exact cause of the bleeding. A rectal exam in the doctor's office may examine for occult blood, but this is NOT considered adequate for colorectal cancer screening. The test should only be done with a take-home kit.
A newer kind of stool blood test is known as FIT (fecal immunochemical test). It is like the FOBT, perhaps even easier to do, and it gives fewer false positive results. The test is simple, cost effective and done at home (patient must retrieve samples of stool from the toilet bowl). It must be done yearly and is considered the least effective means of detecting cancer. All positive results must be evaluated with a colonoscopy.
A fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is used to find small amounts of hidden (occult) blood in the stool. A sample of stool is tested for traces of blood. People having this test will receive a kit with instructions that explain how to take... More
