What is the normal range for occult blood?

Tests for fecal occult blood detect blood in the stool that is not visible on gross inspection, usually less than 50 mg of hemoglobin per gram of stool. Normal adults usually show less than 2 to 3 mg/gm.

What does a positive occult blood immunochemical mean?

The Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) is the test used in BC Cancer’s Colon Screening Program. It measures the amount of blood in your stool sample. A positive (abnormal) result means that blood was found in your stool. Blood in the stool suggests an individual is at higher risk of having colon cancer.

What percentage of positive fit tests are cancer?

In the study, 3 percent of the people with positive FIT results were diagnosed with colorectal cancer (2,191 total cases). Less than 1 percent of these (601 cases) were advanced cancers. The study results were adjusted for differences between patients who had earlier versus later exams.

What is a high fit test result?

The higher the FIT value is above 20 the greater is the likelihood that there are polyps or a malignancy. FIT is also positive in patients with IBD as you would expect.

Is occult blood in stool serious?

(HealthDay)—Even if it’s not visible to the naked eye, blood in the stool can be serious—a sign of a potentially fatal disease other than colon cancer, new research suggests.

Is occult blood in stool normal?

Occult blood in the stool may indicate colon cancer or polyps in the colon or rectum — though not all cancers or polyps bleed. Typically, occult blood is passed in such small amounts that it can be detected only through the chemicals used in a fecal occult blood test.

Can hemorrhoids cause a positive occult blood test?

In addition, hemorrhoids can rarely lead to a positive fecal occult blood test [4]. While overt bleeding from hemorrhoids can result in anemia, anemia in the setting of occult GI bleeding should not be attributed to hemorrhoids.

How accurate is occult blood test?

Although no screening test is 100% accurate, the FOBT is currently the most widely available and well trialled screening test for bowel cancer. If you do an FOBT every two years, you can reduce your risk of dying from bowel cancer by up to a third.

Does a positive fit test mean you have cancer?

Abnormal or Positive Results An abnormal or positive FIT result means that there was blood in your stool at the time of the test. A colon polyp, a pre-cancerous polyp, or cancer can cause a positive stool test. With a positive test, there is a small chance that you have early-stage colorectal cancer.

How serious is a positive fit test?

An abnormal or positive FIT result means that there was blood in your stool at the time of the test. A colon polyp, a pre-cancerous polyp, or cancer can cause a positive stool test. With a positive test, there is a small chance that you have early-stage colorectal cancer.

What does occult blood in stool indicate?

The fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is used to find blood in the feces, or stool. Blood in the stool may be a sign of colorectal cancer or other problems, such as ulcers or polyps. These are growths that develop on the inner wall of the colon and rectum.

What do I do if my occult blood test is positive?

If your fecal occult blood test result is positive, your doctor may recommend a test to examine the inside of your colon, such as a colonoscopy.

How does an immunochemical occult blood test work?

Immunochemical fecal occult blood tests utilize antihuman hemoglobin antibodies to detect the globin portion of undegraded human hemoglobin in stool.

Which is better for occult blood immunoassay or guaiac?

Detection of fecal occult blood by immunoassay eliminates the drawbacks seen with guaiac-based tests, and provides a sensitivity and specificity that is superior to guaiac. Immunochemical fecal occult blood tests utilize antihuman hemoglobin antibodies to detect the globin portion of undegraded human hemoglobin in stool.

Is there a blood test for occult blood in stool?

The fecal immunochemical test (FIT), also called an immunochemical fecal occult blood test (iFOBT), is a newer kind of stool test that also detects occult (hidden) blood in the stool. This detection is important because it can be a sign of precancerous polyps or colorectal cancer.

Which is the most sensitive occult blood test?

The Polymedco OC-Auto Micro 80 immunochemical fecal occult blood test is capable of detection of as little as 100 ng of human hemoglobin per mL of feces, making it a much more sensitive assay than guaiac-based tests for detecting low levels of human fecal occult blood.