[A controlled study on the significance of occult blood test in the stool (author's transl)]

1000 patients of a proctological practice were all investigated by coloscopy and parallel to this by comparison of the two tests for occult blood in the stool (Haemoccult and hemo FEC). 5,6% were positive by the Haemoccult test, 5,2% to hemo FEC. There was no significant difference between the two systems. In the entire study 13 carcinomata and 39 benign polyps of 5 mm diameter and more were found, 8 patients with carcinoma had a positive hemo FEC test, 7 had a positive Haemoccult test, i.e. 38% of carcinoma patients were not detected by the hemo FEC test and 46% in the Haemoccult test. Even in patients with somewhat larger polyps, the test for occult blood in the stool was negative in 56%. It is pointed out with reference to two separate patients that in individual cases of even advanced carcinoma of the large intestine no blood can be detected in the stool.