Biomaterial Database

Sensitivity of fecal hemoccult testing and flexible sigmoidoscopy for colorectal cancer screening. 1986

K M Bang, and S Tillett, and S K Hoar, and A Blair, and V McDougall

Fecal Hemoccult testing and flexible sigmoidoscopy have been proposed as means of screening for colorectal cancer in the general population, as well as in identified high-risk groups. A colorectal cancer screening program was conducted for the Pattern Makers' League of North America. A total of 1,473 white males were screened with fecal Hemoccult testing and flexible sigmoidoscopy during the period 1981 to 1983. The fecal Hemoccult test after diet restriction was positive in 38 workers (2.6%). Among 12 colorectal cancers, including in situ cases, only three were positive by this test. The sensitivity of this test for picking up cancer is only 25%. The positive predictive value was 7.9%. It is concluded that the Hemoccult test for the detection of colorectal cancer and polyps is not a valuable tool because of low sensitivity, whereas flexible sigmoidoscopy has a significant role in colorectal cancer screening of an asymptomatic population at risk.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008403	Mass Screening	Organized periodic procedures performed on large groups of people for the purpose of detecting disease.	Screening,Mass Screenings,Screening, Mass,Screenings,Screenings, Mass
D009780	Occult Blood	Chemical, spectroscopic, or microscopic detection of extremely small amounts of blood.	Fecal Occult Blood Test,Blood, Occult
D009784	Occupational Diseases	Diseases caused by factors involved in one's employment.	Diseases, Occupational,Occupational Illnesses,Disease, Occupational,Illnesse, Occupational,Illnesses, Occupational,Occupational Disease,Occupational Illnesse
D012004	Rectal Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the RECTUM.	Cancer of Rectum,Rectal Cancer,Rectal Tumors,Cancer of the Rectum,Neoplasms, Rectal,Rectum Cancer,Rectum Neoplasms,Cancer, Rectal,Cancer, Rectum,Neoplasm, Rectal,Neoplasm, Rectum,Rectal Cancers,Rectal Neoplasm,Rectal Tumor,Rectum Cancers,Rectum Neoplasm,Tumor, Rectal
D003110	Colonic Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the COLON.	Cancer of Colon,Colon Adenocarcinoma,Colon Cancer,Cancer of the Colon,Colon Neoplasms,Colonic Cancer,Neoplasms, Colonic,Adenocarcinoma, Colon,Adenocarcinomas, Colon,Cancer, Colon,Cancer, Colonic,Cancers, Colon,Cancers, Colonic,Colon Adenocarcinomas,Colon Cancers,Colon Neoplasm,Colonic Cancers,Colonic Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Colon,Neoplasm, Colonic,Neoplasms, Colon
D005243	Feces	Excrement from the INTESTINES, containing unabsorbed solids, waste products, secretions, and BACTERIA of the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012812	Sigmoidoscopy	Endoscopic examination, therapy or surgery of the sigmoid flexure.	Proctosigmoidoscopy,Sigmoidoscopic Surgical Procedures,Surgical Procedures, Sigmoidoscopic,Sigmoidoscopic Surgery,Surgery, Sigmoidoscopic,Procedure, Sigmoidoscopic Surgical,Procedures, Sigmoidoscopic Surgical,Proctosigmoidoscopies,Sigmoidoscopic Surgeries,Sigmoidoscopic Surgical Procedure,Sigmoidoscopies,Surgeries, Sigmoidoscopic,Surgical Procedure, Sigmoidoscopic