Faecal immunochemical test screening effective at 4 years
The faecal immunochemical test (FIT) is highly effective for annual colorectal cancer screening programs for average-risk patients, according to results of a study published online January 26 in the Annals of Internal Medicine [1].
FIT offers several advantages over guaiac-based faecal occult blood tests for colorectal cancer (CRC) and has a sensitivity of 79% for a single use, but its utility has not been evaluated for repeated screenings over time.
FIT is more appealing to patients because faecal occult blood testing requires dietary and medication restrictions, and FIT does not. FIT also has a higher detection rate for advanced adenomas and CRC than faecal occult blood testing.
Read the whole article at Medscape.com
Reference
- Jensen CD, Corley DA, et al. Faecal immunochemical test program performance over 4 rounds of annual screening: a retrospective cohort study. Annals of Internal Medicine 2016. doi: 10.7326/M15-0983
Keywords: colorectal cancer screening, faecal occult blood test (FOBT), faecal immunochemical test (FIT)
26. 1. 2016 Medscape.com
