Office-Based Testing for Fecal Occult Blood
Authors: Christian Jackson, Robert Craig
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2005)

Letters2 August 2005Office-Based Testing for Fecal Occult BloodChristian Jackson, MD and Robert Craig, MDChristian Jackson, MDFrom Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611.Search for more papers by this author and Robert Craig, MDFrom Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-143-3-200508020-00016 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:We read with interest the article by Collins and colleagues (1) and the accompanying editorial by Dr. Sox (2). We share Dr. Sox's concern that colorectal cancer mortality rates have not decreased more rapidly, considering the emphasis on increased screening over the past 10 years. We think this is multifactorial, and we would like to respond to these observations before the office-based FOBT is abandoned.One reason for the slow decline might be the replacement of flexible sigmoidoscopy with total colonoscopy for people at low risk for colorectal cancer. With the exception of the Veterans Administration health ...References1. Collins JF, Lieberman DA, Durbin TE, Weiss DG. Accuracy of screening for fecal occult blood on a single stool sample obtained by digital rectal examination: a comparison with recommended sampling practice. Ann Intern Med. 2005;142:81-5. [PMID: 15657155] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Sox HC. Office-based testing for fecal occult blood: do only in case of emergency [Editorial]. Ann Intern Med. 2005;142:146-8. [PMID: 15657163] LinkGoogle Scholar3. Jemal A, Murray T, Samuels A, Ghafoor A, Ward E, Thun MJ. Cancer statistics, 2003. CA Cancer J Clin. 2003;53:5-26. [PMID: 12568441] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Chao A, Gilliland FD, Hunt WC, Bulterys M, Becker TM, Key CR. Increasing incidence of colon and rectal cancer among Hispanics and American Indians in New Mexico (United States), 1969-94. Cancer Causes Control. 1998;9:137-44. [PMID: 9578290] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Christian Jackson, MD; Robert Craig, MDAffiliations: From Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611.Disclosures: None disclosed. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoAccuracy of Screening for Fecal Occult Blood on a Single Stool Sample Obtained by Digital Rectal Examination: A Comparison with Recommended Sampling Practice Judith F. Collins , David A. Lieberman , Theodore E. Durbin , and David G. Weiss , and the Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study #380 Group*Office-Based Testing for Fecal Occult Blood: Do Only in Case of Emergency Harold C. Sox Office-Based Testing for Fecal Occult Blood Harold C. Sox Office-Based Testing for Fecal Occult Blood Michael L. Wolff Office-Based Testing for Fecal Occult Blood Edward P. Hoffer Metrics 2 August 2005Volume 143, Issue 3Page: 235-236KeywordsColonoscopyColorectal cancerConflicts of interestDeath ratesDigital rectal examinationFlexible sigmoidoscopyHematologic testsHispanic peoplePopulation statisticsVeteran care ePublished: 2 August 2005 Issue Published: 2 August 2005 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2005 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...