Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Testing Is Equally Sensitive for Proximal and Distal Advanced Neoplasia

TR de Wijkerslooth, Esther Stoop, PM Bossuyt, GA Meijer, Marjolein Ballegooijen, Aafke Roon, I Stegeman, RA Kraaijenhagen, P Fockens, M Leerdam, E (Erwin) Dekker, Ernst Kuipers

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) is increasingly used for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. We aimed to estimate its diagnostic accuracy in invitational population screening measured against colonoscopy. METHODS: Participants (50-75 years) in an invitational primary colonoscopy screening program were asked to complete one sample FIT before colonoscopy. We estimated FIT sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values in detecting CRC and advanced neoplasia (carcinomas and advanced adenomas) for cutoff levels of 50 (FIT50), 75 (FIT75), and 100 (FIT100) ng hemoglobin (Hb)/ml, corresponding with, respectively, 10, 15 and 20 mu g Hb/g feces. RESULTS: A total of 1,256 participants underwent a FIT and screening colonoscopy. Advanced neoplasia was detected by colonoscopy in 119 (9%), 8 (0.6%) of them had CRC. At FIT50, 121 (10%) had a positive test result; 45 (37%) had advanced neoplasia and 7 (6%) had CRC. A total of 74 of 1,135 FIT50 negatives (7%) had advanced neoplasia including 1 (0.1%) CRC. FIT50 had a sensitivity of 38% (95% confidence interval (CI): 29-47) for advanced neoplasia and 88% (95% CI: 37-99) for CRC at a specificity DISCUSSION: Nine out of ten screening participants with CRC and four out of ten with advanced neoplasia will be detected using one single FIT at low cutoff. Sensitivity in detecting proximal and distal advanced neoplasia is comparable.
Original languageUndefined/Unknown
Pages (from-to)1570-1578
Number of pages9
JournalAmerican Journal of Gastroenterology
Volume107
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

Research programs

  • EMC MM-04-20-01
  • EMC NIHES-02-65-01

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