Asymptomatic Colorectal Cancer Detected by Fecal Occult Blood Test -A Clinicopathological Study-

Noriaki Wada, Hirotoshi Hasegawa, Masato Fujisaki, Takayuki Takahashi, Shinobu Hirahata, Dai Maeda, Kenjiro Takizawa, Masaya Watanabe, Kazuhiko Sekine

Department of Surgery, Ashikaga Red Cross Hospital

Clinicopathological study was carried out in 239 patients with colorectal cancer who were treated in our hospital between 1993 and 1996. They were classified into two groups; FOB group (those who were asymptomatic and positive in fecal occult blood (FOB) test for the mass screening, n=33) and symptomatic group (n=206). There was no significant difference in the sex ratio, mean age, the location of tumor and histological types between the two groups. The incidence of early cancer, absence of lymph node involvement (n(-)) and Dukes A in FOB group was significantly higher than in symptomatic group. In the cancers of the right and left-side of the colon, the incidence of early cancer and Dukes A were significantly higher in FOB group, and all cases in the right-side colon were advanced more than Dukes B in symptomatic group. Therefore, cancer patients screened by FOB test seemed to have better prognosis, and FOB test could be useful in the early diagnosis of the colon cancer except rectum-

Key words
fecal occult blood test, early colorectal cancer, mass screening test

Reprint requests
Noriaki Wada Department of Surgery, Ashikaga Red Cross Hospital
3-2100 Honjo, Ashikaga-shi, 326-0808 JAPAN

Accepted
February 12, 1998

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