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. 1997 Sep 15;3(3):166-8.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.v3.i3.166.

Diagnostic value of occult fecal blood testing for colorectal cancer screening

K Chen  1 , D A Jiao  1 , S Zheng  1 , L Zhou  1 , H Yu  1 , Y C Yuan  1 , K Y Yao  1 , X Y Ma  1 , Y Zhang  1
Affiliations

Diagnostic value of occult fecal blood testing for colorectal cancer screening

K Chen et al. World J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic value of occult fecal blood testing in mass colorectal cancer screening.

Methods: A reverse passive hemagglutination reaction fecal occult blood test (RPHA-FOBT) and colorectal cancer risk factor quantitative method were used as preliminary screening for colorectal cancer. A 60-cm fiber optic colonoscopy was used to validate the preliminary screen and was used to detect colorectal cancer in a community of 75813 subjects.

Results: Compared to the 60-cm fiber optic colonoscopy as a standard reference, FOBT has a sensitivity of 41.9%, specificity of 95.8%, Youden's index of 0.38, and positive predictive value of 0.68%. These results increased with subject age from the first detection. A 3-year follow up in the target mass showed that all new cases had initially been FOBT-negative.

Conclusion: The value of FOBT as an indicator of colorectal cancer in mass screening is limited.

Keywords: Colonoscopy; Colorectal neoplasms/diagnosis; Mass screening; Occult blood; Risk factors.

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