Notes before - during - after stool blood test

The article was professionally consulted by MSc Vu Van Quan - Department of General Surgery & Anesthesia - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

Fecal occult blood test is a simple test that helps detect small amounts of blood mixed in stool that cannot be seen with the naked eye, this is one of the routine tests to help diagnose bleeding disorders in the blood stream. digestive or colon cancer...

Fecal occult blood test, also known as FOBT test, is a test used to look for occult blood in the stool and screen for conditions such as colon cancer or polyps in the colon or rectum. , despite the fact that not all cancers or tumors bleed.
Normally, the amount of occult blood in the stool only accounts for a very small amount, so it can only be detected through the chemicals used in the occult fecal occult blood test. conduct additional testing to determine the source of the bleeding.
The FOBT test can only show that the patient is bleeding from somewhere in the digestive tract, but it cannot tell the exact location of the bleeding.

In fact, there are a number of medical conditions capable of causing bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract such as ulcers, polyps, gastrointestinal cancer, .... When bleeding becomes severe The stool will be blood red or very black, and if there is only a small amount of blood hidden in the stool, the stool color will look normal.
The FOBT test will help detect the presence of blood, so it may be ordered if you have unusual symptoms such as persistent, unexplained abdominal pain or your doctor may We recommend that you perform a fecal occult blood test to:
Screen for colon cancer : For people who are 50 years of age or older and at risk for colon cancer, the doctor will recommend that We do a stool blood test once a year to screen for colon cancer. To assess possible causes of unexplained anemia: In many cases, fecal occult blood testing is used to determine whether gastrointestinal bleeding such as a bleeding ulcer is a factor in the anemia. .

The procedure for performing a fecal occult blood test is quite simple, however, patients need to strictly adhere to the notes before - during and after the test to help get the most accurate results.
Note before testing for fecal occult blood
Before conducting a fecal occult blood test, patients should be aware that certain foods and drugs can affect the results, so to To ensure the results, it is necessary to follow the doctor's instructions, for about 3 days before the test you need to:
Avoid using vegetables and fruits such as radishes and broccoli, horseradish Do not use red meat Do not take vitamin C supplements and pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen... Procedure for fecal occult blood test
Step 1: Patient collects a stool sample by wiping some stool off the toilet paper with a stick and put in test tube. Step 2: The stool sample will be spread evenly on a piece of paper and the technician will add a chemical to it and then observe the color change to look for the presence of blood in the stool. The FOBT test should be done about 2-3 times, on 2-3 different stool samples on different days to help get the most accurate results.
Note after performing the fecal occult blood test
Patients after performing the fecal occult blood test will be returned by the doctor, this time should listen to the doctor's explanation to best understand the situation. his status.
Negative results: The fecal occult blood test will be assessed as negative if blood is not detected in the patient's stool samples. When you have had screening tests for colon cancer and are at average risk, your doctor may recommend retesting a few years later. Positive Results: A fecal occult blood test will be considered positive when blood is detected in a patient's stool sample. At that time, the doctor may order the patient to perform more tests such as colonoscopy to determine the location of the bleeding. Remember that positive or negative results can both be false because some cancers or polyps do not cause bleeding or bleeding can come from sources other than colon cancer, pseudo-polyps. such as stomach ulcers, hemorrhoids.... Therefore, it is necessary to listen to the doctor's advice and take care of your own health, and periodically visit for effective and safe disease screening.

Gastrointestinal cancer screening is a scientific and effective measure to detect gastrointestinal cancer early (esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer) and provide a good treatment plan. best. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has a package of screening and early detection of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract (esophagus - stomach - colon) combined with clinical and paraclinical examination to bring the most accurate results. maybe.
When screened for gastrointestinal cancer at Vinmec, you will receive:
Gastrointestinal specialty examination with an oncologist (by appointment). Gastroscopy and colonoscopy with an NBI endoscope with anesthesia. Peripheral blood count (laser counter). Automated prothrombin time test. Automated thrombin time test. Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT) test using an automated machine. General Abdominal Ultrasound Master. Doctor. Vu Van Quan has more than 10 years of experience working in the field of General Gastroenterology, specializing in examining and treating surgical pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, bile, pancreas and diseases of the abdominal peritoneum and abdominal wall. .