Bleeding in the digestive tract can lead to blood in the stool. In fact, having occasional small traces of blood in the stool is not abnormal. Fecal blood in amounts greater than normal, but not noticeable visually, is called occult blood. The occult blood test detects digestive tract bleeding in the stool and is used to screen for colon and rectal cancer.
Colon cancer is a major cause of death in the United States.
One of the early clues to colon cancer is occult bleeding in the bowel movement. For this reason, regular occult blood testing can be life-saving. Healthcare providers recommend regular occult blood tests starting at age 50. Before the test, the patient should eat a high fiber diet for 2 or 3 days. Certain raw foods, turnips, horseradish, and red meat should be avoided.