Monday, July 4, 2011

Is the occult blood stool sample an acceptable method for testing for colon cancer and where can I get info

Is the occult blood stool sample an acceptable method for testing for colon cancer and where can I get info?
Where can I get literature?
Cancer - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
No it is not. It simply tests for blood in the stool which may or not mean cancer. It can also miss many cancers that do not happen to be bleeding at the time you take the test. Go to your doctor and get a colonoscopy.
2 :
It has its pros and cons. Most people with a positive test do not have colon cancer, making a large number of colonoscopies unnecessary. And not all colon cancers will be detected, as they don't bleed all the time. But colon cancers found this way are discovered in significantly lower stages, which means higher cure rates. Also many cancer precursors (adenomas) are found and removed before they even become cancers. So on balance the method is absolutely acceptable in the screening setting. But if you have symptoms it is not good enough. There is some information with additional references here: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Detection/colorectal-screening
3 :
It's not a definitive test. Not all bleeding is caused by cancer and not all cancers bleed. However, it can be one part of testing.
4 :
A test for occult blood in stool would be only a screening procedure. It could be harmless, but the doctor will want to run further tests. If you have known colon or rectal bleeding for any other reason [e.g. hemorrhoids] your doctor will probably skip the occult blood and go for the further tests.

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