A faecal occult blood test (FOBT) is a simple test that takes a sample of your poo and checks it for blood, which can be an early sign of bowel cancer. It can check for small amounts of blood that are not visible by eye and a positive test shows that you have bleeding happening somewhere in your gastrointestinal tract. If the FOBT is positive for blood, more tests are then done to find out what has caused the bleeding. This blood loss could be due to bowel cancer or any one of several causes including:
Bowel cancer, formally known as colorectal cancer, is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths and a FOBT can find it early when treatment is most effective. If found early, more than 90 per cent of cases can be successfully treated. Eligible Australians aged 45 to 74 can do a free test at home every two years.
The Australian National Bowel Cancer Screening Program offers FOBT as a screening test for the early detection of bowel cancer in people who do not have symptoms of bowel cancer. People aged 45 to 74 can do this free, simple test at home then post it to the laboratory for testing. Test kits are sent out to all people who are of an eligible age.
If you have symptoms of bowel cancer you should see your doctor without delay.
Common symptoms of bowel cancer
Sample
The kit comes with instructions on how to do the bowel screening test. You can also watch a video on how to do the test or read test kit instructions in 22 languages. If you need help using the kit, call the Bowel Screening Test Kit Helpline on 1800 930 998.
You need to collect two tiny samples from two different poos. Once you have done the test you use the reply-paid envelope provided to post the samples to the lab.
People who live in hotter parts of Australia will receive their kits in the mail during the cooler months. This is because exposure of samples to high heat can affect test results.
Any preperation?
None.
The FOBT result is negative for most people. If you have a negative test result, you do not need to do anything. You will get another invitation to do the test in two years. If you start having symptoms of bowel cancer, even after a negative test result, see your GP straight away. A positive FOBT result shows that blood has been detected in your sample. A positive test result means that 20 micrograms or more of haemoglobin (a protein found in red blood cells) per gram of poo was found in one or in both of your test samples. A positive result does not always mean you have bowel cancer. There are many reasons you could have blood in your poo, and most of these are not related to cancer. A positive test will need to be followed up with a further test, usually a colonoscopy, to find the source of the bleeding.Results What this means Negative Positive Inconclusive If you do not receive your results within four weeks, it may be because they were inconclusive. This means the lab could not analyse your sample. You will be sent another test kit within four to 10 weeks, so you can do the test again.
The choice of tests your doctor makes will be based on your medical history and symptoms. It is important that you tell themeverything you think might help.
You play a central role in making sure your test results are accurate. Do everything you can to make sure the information you provide is correct and follow instructions closely.
Talk to your doctor about any medications you are taking. Find out if you need to fast or stop any particular foods or supplements. These may affect your results. Ask:
Pathology and diagnostic imaging reports can be added to your My Health Record. You and your healthcare provider can now access your results whenever and wherever needed.
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