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Colonoscopic surveillance is recommended in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), as they are at an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients with chronic IBD have to undergo colonoscopy every 1-3 years–which can be a big burden for many patients. Noninvasive testing by stool DNA is a new potential, and could be a major breakthrough in the care of patients with IBD.
In this video, Dr. John Kisiel explains how the analyses of DNA methylation patterns in stool samples might be used to detect CRC in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
Meet others talking about IBD and colorectal cancer, on Mayo Clinic Connect – share your experiences, ask questions, discover your support network. Here are some conversations you might like to follow...
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How do you know that a result is a false positive & what is the next step for the patient that receives such a result?
How do you know, the result is a false positive?
@oceanone and @kenc, rarely is a diagnosis reliant on one test alone. People whose stool test returned as positive would require further testing for confirmation. Of those people sent for further testing, 10% proved to not have cancer or high-grade dysplasia.
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5 ReactionsHow reliable are the negative results?
How reliable is occult blood test in stool samples? I think it is a screening test but if it's positive, then colonoscopy is called for? Pls enlighten.
That's correct, @mayoclinicorg2023. A fecal occult test is a screening test. If your fecal occult blood test result is positive, your doctor may recommend a test to examine the inside of your colon, such as a colonoscopy.
Here is more information from Mayo Clinic:
- Fecal occult blood test https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/fecal-occult-blood-test/about/pac-20394112