Stool occult blood test (FOBT — Fecal Occult Blood Test)
Detects hidden (invisible to eye) blood in stool. Used for early gastrointestinal disease detection, especially inflammatory processes, ulcers, and colorectal neoplasms.
Mechanism: Blood enters stool when stomach or intestinal mucosa is damaged — ulcers, inflammation, polyps, tumors, hemorrhoids. In small quantity blood is invisible but detected by laboratory method.
Recommended for:
- persons over 40-45 for colorectal cancer screening;
- chronic GI diseases;
- unexplained anemia;
- prolonged stool disorders;
- hereditary intestinal disease predisposition.
Biomaterial: Stool
Exclude 3 days before:
- Red meat (beef, lamb, liver);
- Fish;
- Iron-rich foods;
- Beets (may discolor stool)
Discontinue (by physician agreement):
- NSAIDs (ibuprofen, aspirin);
- Iron preparations;
- High-dose Vitamin C (may cause false-negative result)
Abdominal pain;
- chronic constipation or diarrhea;
- suspected GI bleeding;
- unexplained hemoglobin reduction;
- suspected polyps or intestinal tumors;
- prophylactic examination after age 40-45.
Negative — occult blood not detected.
Positive — blood traces found in stool; additional examination required to determine bleeding source.
Important: Positive result is not a cancer diagnosis. May be related to hemorrhoids, inflammation, fissures, ulcers, or other conditions.
Recommended physicians: General Practitioner, Gastroenterologist, Proctologist.
