PRIMA Bowel FOB test

What is Faecal occult blood?
Faecal occult blood is the presence in the faeces (stool) of blood that is not clearly visible to the naked eye. Occult blood may be the consequence of gastro-intestinal disorders such as ulcers, polyps, colitis, diverticulitis, rhagades, haemorrhoids or cancer. The signs of these lesions are often silent in the first phases, so searching for occult blood in the stool is an important screening test, which allows to identify the presence of pathologies in the gastro-intestinal system at an early stage.

What is Colorectal Cancer?
Large bowel is the lower part of the digestive system, consisting the colon and rectum. Sometimes, abnormal cells will emerge on the bowel wall, growing into polyps, ulcers or other forms of mass. Most of the colorectal polyps are benign, but a small portion of them may develop into malignant tumours, becoming colorectal cancer.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in Hong Kong.

Who have higher chance of having Colorectal Cancer?
Risk factors for colorectal cancer include low fibre intake, high consumption of red meat and processed meat, lack of physical activity, obesity, alcohol consumption and smoking. Individuals with the following risk factors are more prone to developing colorectal cancer:
•Having hereditary bowel diseases, e.g. familial adenomatous polyposis (“FAP”) or Lynch Syndrome
•Persistent inflammation of the bowel, e.g. ulcerative colitis
•History of colonic polyps
•Family history of colorectal cancer, particularly in first-degree relatives (i.e. parents, siblings or children)
Common symptoms

Early colorectal cancer may have no symptoms. Common signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer include:
•Bloody or stained stool, black stool, stools with mucus, or rectal bleeding
•Change in bowel habits (persistent constipation or diarrhea), change in the shape of the stool (thin strip), feeling of incomplete bowel emptying
•Unexplained weight loss
•Lower abdominal pain (distended abdomen or colicky abdominal pain)
•Symptoms of anemia: cold hands and feet, fatigue, palpitation, shortness of breath, pallor, dizziness

Faecal occult blood test
Bleeding in the bowel may not be visible. Fecal Occult Blood Test checks for hidden blood in the stool. If the test result is positive, further examination is needed such as colonoscopy or barium enema examination.

Results
Positive: Two coloured bands appear in the reading window by the T (test) and C (control)signs. ¬The T band may be less intense (lighter) than the C line. This result means there is blood in the faeces and you should consult a physician. You can obtain positive results even in the presence of haemoglobin concentration in the 36-40 ng/ml range.

Negative: A coloured band appears only under the C (control) sign. This result means that there is no blood in the faeces or that the concentration is below the test’s detection limit (40 ng/ml).

Non invalid result: If no bands appear or if there is only a line under the T (Test) sign, it means that it was not possible to read the result of the test, which must be considered as not valid. In this case it is not possible to interpret the result of the test, which must be considered not valid. It is recommended to repeat the test with a new BOWEL FOB TEST and new samples of faeces.

Precautions
READ THE RESULT AFTER EXACTLY 5 MINUTES. The intensity of the line colours is not relevant for the purposes of interpretation of the Test’s results.
•Dispense 3 drops of the diluted faeces sample into the well shown on the strip. Wait for 2 seconds between dispensing one drop.
•The BOWEL FOB TEST can be carried out at any time of the day, when you have a bowel movement, and there is no need to follow a specific diet. It should not be used while menstruating, as the result obtained may not be reliable.

*Read these instructions for use carefully before performing the test. The Test is reliable only if all the instructions are followed correctly.

Storage
Store in a dry place at a temperature between 4°C and 30°C. Do not freeze.

Kit includes,
•Test cassette x 1
•Desiccant bag x 1
•Test diluent x 1
•Small sheet for the collection of the faeces sample x 1
•Instruction x 1"