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Testing Based Fecal Occult Blood Test Sensitivity And Specificity

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Guaiac-based Fecal Occult Blood Test Sensitivity and Specificity
Colon cancer The large intestines are a part of the digestive system (Colorectal cancer, 2015). The large intestines (large bowels) are made up of the colon and the rectum (What is colorectal cancer, 2016). The colon is five feet long muscular tube that makes up the majority of the large bowel (What is colorectal cancer, 2016). After food goes through the small intestines, of the digestive system, the colon absorbs the salt and water from the food that remains and the waste matter (feces) is the byproduct (What is colorectal cancer, 2016). The feces is then expelled from the body through the anus (What is colorectal cancer, 2016).
When a cancer forms in the lining of the…show more content…
The localized stage is stage where cancer is only found in the part of the body where it originated from (Surveillance, epidemiology, and end results program, n.d.). In Virginia, 39% of colorectal cancers are detected at the localized stage (Cancer in Virginia, 2014). The 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey reported that 69% of Virginia adults age 50 or older reported that they have had a colon cancer screening (Cancer in Virginia, 2014).
Guaiac-based Fecal Occult Blood Test
The guaiac-based Fecal Occult Blood Test (gFOBT) is a screening test for colorectal cancer (A guide to FOBT, n.d.). The guaiac-based Fecal Occult Blood Test uses the chemical reagent guaiac to detect the presence of heme in stool (A guide to FOBT, n.d.). Colorectal neoplasms can cause blood (heme) in the stool because the blood vessels on the surface of colorectal cancer and/or colorectal polyps have fragile blood vessels that are easily damaged when feces pass through the large bowel (A guide to FOBT, n.d.). A small amount of blood from the fragile colorectal polyps and cancer vessels merge with the stool (A guide to FOBT, n.d.). The small amount of blood that is combined with the stool from the colorectal polyps and cancer vessels is not visibly noticeable in the stool (A guide to FOBT, n.d.). Consequently, Fecal Occult Blood Tests, such as gFOBT, can be used to detect the small amount of blood that can be found in the stool if a person has colorectal polyps or cancer (A
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