Faecal occult blood

The search for occult blood in the faeces is an important screening test for colorectal cancer. It has no diagnostic significance, but it does make it possible to identify persons at risk for this disease and for intestinal polyps (which, if removed early, prevent possible transformation into malignant tumours). In the case of the presence of blood in the faeces, further diagnostic tests such as colonoscopy should be performed.

There are several conditions that make a faecal occult blood test positive:  Ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, duodenal and/or gastric fistulas, oesophageal varices, haemorrhoids, anal fissures, but also an inadequate diet in the days preceding certain types of tests.