Stool test for hidden blood
FIT test · fecal occult blood test · FOBT · bowel cancer screening kit
This test looks for blood in your stool that you cannot see. It is a simple way to spot early signs of bowel polyps or tumors.
Usually for screening from about age 45 to 50, or with anemia or changes in bowel habits. The doctor decides.
⏱ Duration: 5 minutes to collect at home; results in 1 to 3 days
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- Container. Get the special container with a stick from the lab. The test cannot be done from a regular jar.
- Food. The modern FIT test needs no diet. If your test is a different type, ask the lab.
What to bring
- The container with the sample
- Your test request form
How it goes
- Collect your stool so it does not fall into the water, for example onto paper
- Use the stick from the container to take a little stool from a few places
- Put the stick back in the container and close it tightly
- Take it to the lab within the time you are given
What you'll feel
- Nothing. It does not hurt
Afterwards
- A positive test is not a diagnosis. The doctor usually refers you for a colonoscopy to find the cause
Contact a doctor straight away if
- Visible blood in your stool or black stools: do not wait for the result. See a doctor
Common questions
If the test is positive, is it cancer?
Most often, no. Blood can come from piles, a small tear, or a polyp. But the cause must be found, usually with a colonoscopy.