Self‐reported dark red bleeding as a marker comparable with occult blood testing in screening for large bowel neoplasms

Abstract

The study was designed to determine the prevalence of large bowel symptoms in an adult working population and to assess their value in screening for large bowel neoplasms. A symptom questionnaire was sent to workers in two large organizations and the results were compared with faecal occult blood testing in the same individuals using Haemoccult (Eaton Laboratories). Completed symptom questionnaires and Haemoccult test kits were returned by 916 out of a total of 1805 employees over the age of 40 (compliance 50.7 per cent). Twenty‐eight (3.1 per cent) were Haemoccult positive and 114 (12.4 per cent) had one or more symptoms. All positives (129 persons) were examined by flexible sigmoidoscopy a..