Quantitative Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Tests: Is It Time to Go Back to the Future?
Authors: Thomas F. Imperiale
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2007)

Editorials20 February 2007Quantitative Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Tests: Is It Time to Go Back to the Future?Thomas F. Imperiale, MDThomas F. Imperiale, MDFrom Indiana University Medical Center and the Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-146-4-200702200-00013 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates remain low, despite the fact that it has been nearly 6 years since Medicare and others began reimbursing for screening colonoscopy. Although the proportion of persons age 50 years and older who have had sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy has increased from 33% in 1999 to 52% in 2004 (1), CRC screening rates still lag behind those of breast and cervical cancer. We need more convenient and less invasive screening tests. Could a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) fit the bill?Annual or biennial guaiac-based FOBT screening reduces CRC incidence by 17% to 20% (2) and CRC ...References1. Smith RA, Cokkinides V, Eyre HJ. American Cancer Society guidelines for the early detection of cancer, 2006. CA Cancer J Clin. 2006;56:11-25; quiz 49-50. [PMID: 16449183] Google Scholar2. Mandel JS, Church TR, Bond JH, Ederer F, Geisser MS, Mongin SJ, et al. The effect of fecal occult-blood screening on the incidence of colorectal cancer. N Engl J Med. 2000;343:1603-7. [PMID: 11096167] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Hardcastle JD, Chamberlain JO, Robinson MH, Moss SM, Amar SS, Balfour TW, et al. Randomised controlled trial of faecal-occult-blood screening for colorectal cancer. Lancet. 1996;348:1472-7. [PMID: 8942775] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Kronborg O, Fenger C, Olsen J, Jørgensen OD, Søndergaard O. Randomised study of screening for colorectal cancer with faecal-occult-blood test. Lancet. 1996;348:1467-71. 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[PMID: 12118972] LinkGoogle Scholar21. Winawer S, Fletcher R, Rex D, Bond J, Burt R, Ferrucci J, et al. Colorectal cancer screening and surveillance: clinical guidelines and rationale—Update based on new evidence. Gastroenterology. 2003;124:544-60. [PMID: 12557158] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Thomas F. Imperiale, MDAffiliations: From Indiana University Medical Center and the Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana.Disclosures: Consultancies: EXACT Sciences, Onconome, Inc.Corresponding Author: Thomas F. Imperiale, MD, Regenstrief Institute, 1050 Wishard Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46202 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoA Quantitative Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Test for Colorectal Neoplasia Zohar Levi , Paul Rozen , Rachel Hazazi , Alex Vilkin , Amal Waked , Eran Maoz , Shlomo Birkenfeld , Moshe Leshno , and Yaron Niv Metrics Cited byEpidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention of Colorectal Cancer-An English VersionEpidemiology, risk factors, and prevention of colorectal cancerACG Clinical Guidelines: Colorectal Cancer Screening 2021Faecal Occult Blood Point-of-Care TestsOccult blood fecal tests for self-control and point of care testingThe Diagnostic Accuracy of the M2 Pyruvate Kinase Quick Stool Test- A Rapid Office Based Assay Test for the Detection of Colorectal CancerProspective cross-sectional study on faecal immunochemical tests: sex specific cut-off values to obtain equal sensitivity for colorectal cancer?Population Screening for Colorectal Cancer Means Getting FIT: The Past, Present, and Future of Colorectal Cancer Screening Using the Fecal Immunochemical Test for Hemoglobin (FIT)Colorectal Cancer Screening: How to Stop a Moving TargetDouble sampling of a faecal immunochemical test is not superior to single sampling for detection of colorectal neoplasia: a colonoscopy controlled prospective cohort studyCost-Effectiveness of Mass Screening for Colorectal Cancer: Choice of Fecal Occult Blood Test and Screening StrategyHigher Fecal Immunochemical Test Cutoff Levels: Lower Positivity Rates but Still Acceptable Detection Rates for Early-Stage Colorectal CancersColorectal cancer screening – MethodologyPerformance of immunochemical faecal occult blood test in colorectal cancer screening in average-risk population according to positivity threshold and number of samplesFecal Occult Blood TestingNational Academy of Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines for Use of Tumor Markers in Testicular, Prostate, Colorectal, Breast, and Ovarian CancersComparison of an Established Simple Office-Based Immunological FOBT With Fecal Tumor Pyruvate Kinase Type M2 (M2-PK) for Colorectal Cancer Screening: Prospective Multicenter StudyFaecal occult blood tests – eliminate, enhance or update?Noninvasive diagnostic modalities for early detection of colorectal cancerA Quantitative Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Test for Colorectal NeoplasiaDigital Fecal Occult Blood Testing in the Ambulatory Urology ClinicIMPROVED PERFORMANCE OF FECAL OCCULT BLOOD TESTING: IS THIS ENOUGH TO CHANGE WHAT WE DO?Screening for Colorectal Neoplasms With New Fecal Occult Blood Tests: Update on Performance CharacteristicsEvaluation of the OC-SENSOR neo System for Testing Fecal Occult Blood 20 February 2007Volume 146, Issue 4Page: 309-311KeywordsAdenomasBloodCancer screeningColonoscopyColorectal cancerHematologic testsHemoglobinHemorrhageMedicareSpecificity ePublished: 20 February 2007 Issue Published: 20 February 2007 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2007 by American College of Physicians. 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