HHS HealthBeat (May 14, 2010)

Screening for colorectal cancer

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Here's something to do at home to screen for colorectal cancer.  At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Marion Nadel suggests people use home fecal occult blood tests, or FOBTs.  The tests look for blood in the stool which may be caused by cancer or polyps that may become cancer.

"Getting screened could save your life.  If you chose FOBT for screening, use a home test.  It it's positive, follow up with colonoscopy.  If it's negative, get rescreened annually." (11seconds)

FOBTs done with samples collected in the doctor's office are not appropriate for screening, but survey data found office tests are performed by 78 percent of doctors.  

The study was in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. 

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: November 21, 2011