Comparison of Two Tests for Colorectal Cancer Screening
Author Information
Author(s): N. Armitage, J.D. Hardcastle, S.S. Amar, T.W. Balfour, J. Haynes, P.D. James
Primary Institution: University Hospital, Nottingham
Hypothesis
Is the immunological faecal occult blood test more effective than the chemical test in screening for colorectal cancer?
Conclusion
The immunological test increases the yield of carcinomas but has a high false positive rate, making it unsuitable for population screening in its current form.
Supporting Evidence
- 1,304 individuals completed and returned the tests, with 126 testing positive.
- Five cancers and 23 adenomas greater than 1 cm were detected.
- Fecatwin Sensitive identified all five cancers, but had a high false positive rate.
Takeaway
This study looked at two tests to find out if they could help catch colon cancer early. One test found more cancers, but it also gave a lot of false alarms.
Methodology
Asymptomatic individuals were randomly assigned to receive either the Haemoccult or Fecatwin Sensitive tests, and results were analyzed for neoplastic disease.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the exclusion of individuals with known large bowel disease and those deemed unsuitable by family doctors.
Limitations
The high false positive rate of the Feca EIA test limits its suitability for population screening.
Participant Demographics
Individuals aged 45-75 from three general practices in Nottingham.
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