Fecal occult blood test at home - reliable ?

flynnboy

Hi

Does anyone know where I can buy a F.O.B.T for use at home, and are they reliable ?

0lddog

This is an interesting question.
The last time that I spoke with "my" GP I requested a FOBT test kit. GP said that they did not offer this service.

Vorsprung

There's a certain false positive rate - not sure what it is but it'll be easily accessible over the net.

That said, it is used as a screening test for bowel cancer in Australia - a +ve test leads to a colonscopy. I think the same is planned in Ireland.

Cochrane (a group that looks at all studies and compiles a single set of results) wrote the following about the test:

Benefits of screening include a modest reduction in colorectal cancer mortality, a possible reduction in cancer incidence through the detection and removal of colorectal adenomas, and potentially, the less invasive surgery that earlier treatment of colorectal cancers may involve.
Harmful effects of screening include the psycho-social consequences of receiving a false-positive result, the potentially significant complications of colonoscopy or a false-negative result, the possibility of overdiagnosis (leading to unnecessary investigations or treatment) and the complications associated with treatment.

Tree

As a home test to be interpreted by a user, it's not amazing. AFAIK it is possible for gp's to offer this service through the hospital labs, but noone is a big lover of the test results wise.

I think this planned colon cancer screening will be largely based on FOB, but im not sure are they going to add a more reliable indicator into the mix, I would hope that they do. The cards are a pita to read.

flynnboy

Thanks everyone.

The test is used widely in the UK who now have a full bowel cancer screening programme rolled out. Everyone at the age of 60 in England and Wales is automatically screened and everyone at the age of 50 in Scotland.

I'm afraid Ireland is lamentable in its approach. I saw my Doc' 2 months ago about my symptoms, he immediately referred me for a colonoscopy and I have now discovered that I am only on a waiting list to talk to another Doc' about my symptoms ! And yet when you are in the waiting room you see posters telling you to get it sorted quickly if you display sypmtoms....... it's a joke. You could die on a waiting list in Ireland.

I know that this 'talk' will be to assess my risk against the cost of a colonoscopy. There can be no other reason as everything I read and hear informs me that I am in the 'at risk' age group and that with my symptoms I should be screened without a doubt. So since my Doc - who I have already talked to - has referred me what other reason can there be for waiting to simply 'talk' to another one if it's not simply to assess risk v cost...... !?

I have a friend in England who displayed similar symptoms to myself and within a week of seeing his Doc' he was in Hospital having a colonoscopy. Compare that to me still waiting after 2 months just to talk to another Doc'!