FECAL OCCULT BLOOD TEST
A fecal occult blood test (FOBT) looks at a sample of your stool (feces) to check for blood. Occult blood means that you can’t see it with the naked eye. The test is used as an early screening for colorectal cancer. Blood in the stool means there’s likely some kind of bleeding in the digestive tract.
It may be caused by a variety of conditions, including:
- Polyps
- Hemorrhoids
- Diverticulosis
- Ulcers
- Colitis
Only a small proportion of positive tests turn out to be cancer, however early diagnosis helps manage these cases and so it is recommended to be done every 2 years.
Stool collection instructions
It is a non-invasive test that you can perform at the convenience of your home. You will be given a kit. You will need to collect samples from three different bowel movements, preferably samples from 3 consecutive days.
For each sample, collect the stool and store in a clean container. Make sure, the sample doesn’t mix in with urine or water from the toilet. Use the applicator from your kit to smear some of the stool on the test card also included in your kit.
Label and seal all your samples as directed.
Certain food and drugs may affect the result of the FOBT. Your doctor may ask you to avoid the following:
- Anti-inflammatories such as Ibuprofen or Aspirin for 7 days prior to your test.
- Red meat such as beef, lamb, pork for 3 days prior to the test. Traces of blood in these may give a false-positive result
Return the samples to your clinic and they will be sent to the lab; results usually come back within a week or so and the clinic will contact you.
