Bowel Colon Cancer Test Kit Faecal Occult Blood (FOB)

What is the Bowel/Colon test?

Many diseases may result in hidden blood in the faeces. This is known as faecal occult blood (FOB), human occult blood, or human haemoglobin. In the early stages, gastrointestinal (GI) problems such as colon cancer, ulcers, polyps, colitis, diverticulitis, and fissures may not show any visible symptoms, only occult blood. Traditional guaiac based methods of occult blood testing lack sensitivity and specificity, and also require diet restrictions prior to testing. Faecal occult blood tests are used as a screening tool for detecting lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding that may be related to iron deficiency anaemia, peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis, polyps, and colorectal cancer.

The FOB Test Device is recommended for use by health professionals in routine physical examinations and in monitoring for GI bleeding in patients in hospitals or in GP surgeries. The Faecal Occult Blood Test is a simple, visual qualitative test that detects human haemoglobin from blood in faeces. The test is based on immunochromatography and can give a result within 5 minutes.

Pack contents include all items required to obtain and effect a result from which further medical diagnosis/treatment can be determined. This test is fully CE approved for self-testing use. If any positive result is obtained it is important the patient seek immediate medical advice.

Test Features:

• Indicates the presence of Faecal Occult Blood
• Fully CE approved for self-testing
• Provides simple positive or negative result
• Detect Faecal Occult Blood at 50ng/ml or higher
• Read results within 5 minutes

Why Should I Perform the Test?

Gastrointestinal disorders often bleed. The blood can be detected specifically by the faeces test. The presence of blood can be justified by benign causes; for example, ulcers, haemorrhoids, polyps, or fissures. It could also be due to a malign pathology such as colorectal cancer.

Checking the presence of blood in the faeces is a very good tool for verifying health status and eventually taking the required preventive actions. In case of cancer, early detection and prevention can be life saving.

Understanding Colorectal Cancer

You’ll need to get medical advice if you have any of the symptoms below. This home health test is for people without symptoms.

• If you have blood in your stool you’ll need to see your doctor right away
• If there’s a change in your bowel habits that lasts over one month such as constipation or loose stool issues
• If you have any unexplained weight loss issues
• If you are suffering from anaemia that can’t be explained

Why screening is important

If you get screened for this condition it reduces the chances that you’ll die from the disease. If you catch this disease early there’s a 90% chance that you’ll recover fully. In the UK you can get screening on the NHS every two years if you’re over the age of 60. Most people (around 80%) that get the condition are over age 60. If you live in Scotland you can actually get NHS tested at the age 50, which is the same as in the US. If you’re under age 40 the chances of getting this form of cancer is quite rare and a home test for those under age 40 it isn’t recommended as the results will almost always be something else entirely.

The decision to get this type of test will be determined by:

• Age ­– You should get the test after age 50 but you may want it at age 40 if you have a family history of colorectal cancer, for example.
• Health issues – if you have Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis discuss this with your doctor as the home test isn’t beneficial for you.
• Your family history – Ask your doctor about this as you may be able to be screened under the NHS.
• Test Accuracy – There are different home testing kits so the results may vary. The cancer can be missed because they only bleed occasionally so the test may miss the cancer entirely.
• False Positives – There can be positive results for other conditions besides cancer such as haemorrhoids or the use of medications. False positive may make you anxious, even though you don’t have cancer. Don’t take the test if you use non-steroidal anti-inflammatories or have haemorrhoids. In these cases it’s best to consult with your doctor.

Follow up

Take advantage of NHS screening and make sure you follow up with your doctor to determine the outcome of the test. The doctor may not want to do this because they feel home tests are inaccurate but you should insist. You may want to take the screening in a private hospital, this can be expensive but worth it so you know for sure what the results are. If there’s a positive test, you’ll need to get a colonoscopy.

Useful links:
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cancer-of-the-colon-rectum-or-bowel/pages/introduction.aspx?url=pages/what-is-it.aspx
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/type/bowel-cancer/

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