- Frequently Asked Questions About the Colon Disease Test
Q. What is the purpose of performing a fecal occult blood test?
A. The purpose is to detect occult blood (blood not visible to the naked eye), which indicates bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. Such bleeding may be a sympton of colorectal disease, such as uclers, hemorrhoids, colorectal cancer, polyps, colitis, diverticulitis, or fissures.
Q. Is the test difficult or painful?
A: No. This test is very user friendly, and requires no stool collection. The home test includes simple directions for preparing your results card.
Q. Who should take the test?
A: The risk of colorectal cancer is higher among people over the age of 50. In addition, people in high-risk categories for colorectal cancer should take the test. These include:
- Those who have had colorectal cancer.
- Women who have had breast cancer, or reporductive tract cancer.
- Those who have had benign intestinal polyps.
- Those with a parent, sister or brother who have had colorectal cancer.
Note: Persons with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are at an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer; therefore, different screening methods should be used.
Q: Should I take the test even if I have no symptoms?
A: Yes. many cancers and polyps do not cause pain or other symptoms on the onset, but can be detected at an early stage by minute quantities of blood in the stool.
Q: If the test is positive, does it mean I have cancer?
A: A positive test means that there may be bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. Benign conditions such as polyps, hemorrhoids, rectal fissures, or even stomach ulcers can cause bleeding that would give a positive result. Most studies suggest that only 5 to 10 percent of those with positive test results will be diagnosed as having cancer. However, it is imperative that anyone with a positive test result see a physician as soon as possible to determine the cause of the bleeding.
Q: If I have a positive result, how should I follow-up?
A: Contact your family physician for an appointment.
Q: If my test result is negative, does it mean I don't have cancer?
A: Not necessarily. a negative test only means that there was no blood detected at that time. Blood in the stool may occur intermittenly or not at all. This test is not a substitute for a regular physical and rectal examination by your physician.
Q: Is the stool test "positive" when there is only a small speck of blue-green color on the test area?
A: Yes. Any visible blue-green color in the test area is considered a "positive" result. The whole test area does not have to turn blue-green to be considered as a positive result.
Q: If I do not see a color change in any of the test areas, why should I still return the completed reply card to my doctor?
A: To establish a physician baseline and to keep your doctor informed.
Q: Are diet restrictions required for taking this test?
A: No. However, for two days before and during testing, try to eat vegetables, fruits and cereals.
Q: Why should I remove toliet cleaners, disinfectants or deodrizers from the toliet bowl and tank?
A: There are traces of chemicals in the water that might interfere with the test.
Q: Why test for water quality?
A: In some regions, the water quality may contain substances that interfere with this test and could provide false positive results.
Q: Why should I reseal the foil pouch after removing the first pad?
A: To protect the remaining pads from light and moisture.
Q: How long should I observe the HELP-U-CHECK pad for a color change?
A: Two minutes
Q: What does it mean if my last test pad does not turn a blue-green color when doing the performance check?
A: If your last test pad does not turn a blue-green color it may be because the powder did not dissolve properly. To dissolve the powder we suggest sprinkling the powder into the toliet bowl while it is filling up with clean water to avoid this problem. If you have any problems with the positive control portion of the test, please contact our customer service representative who will be happy to assist you in any way.
If you are unsure how to take the test after reading the instructions, please call or send us an e-mail and one of our customer service respresentatives will answer any questions or conerns you may have.