Dr. Lee was born in Shanghai, China, and received his college and medical training in the United States. He is fluent in English and three Chinese dialects. He graduated with chemistry departmental honors from Harvey Mudd College. He was appointed president of AOA society at UCLA School of Medicine. He underwent internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
The true bottom line for a fecal occult blood test is how many cancers or precancerous polyps can be detected and, ultimately, how many cancer-related deaths can be prevented by
fecal occult blood tests. Large studies with chemical fecal occult blood tests have demonstrated at least a 15%-20% reduction in mortality due to colon cancer. Similar studies are now underway with immunologic
fecal occult blood tests, and, based on factors discussed previously, the results are expected to be better. Nevertheless, the results of these ongoing studies are necessary to demonstrate what the bottom line truly is for immunologic
fecal occult blood tests.
How should fecal occult blood tests be used?
Fecal occult blood tests offer an important screening modality for colon cancer, but, because it detects only a minority of cancers and precancerous polyps, by itself it is not sufficient. It needs to be complemented by endoscopic examination of the colon, either
sigmoidoscopy and/or colonoscopy.
Recommendations for the age at which
fecal occult blood tests and endoscopic examinations should be initiated, and the frequency with
which they should be repeated depend on the risk for colon cancer. Patients who are older, have relatives with colon cancer, have had polyps previously, or have diseases that are associated with a higher risk for colon cancer may have testing that begins earlier and is done more frequently.
The use of
fecal occult blood tests have only one downside in addition to cost, and that is tests that are falsely positive, that is, tests that show blood in patients who don't have colon cancer or premalignant polyps. Every test showing blood requires the performance of colonoscopy, an expensive procedure that carries a small but definite risk of serious complications. The more frequently tests are falsely positive, the more frequently unnecessary colonoscopies are performed. If studies underway (discussed previously) demonstrate an increased ability to diagnose cancer and colon polyps with a reduced frequency of these falsely positive tests, there will be clear advantages for immunologic over chemical
fecal occult blood tests. For this reason, immunologic fecal occult blood
tests have advantages over chemical fecal occult blood tests since it has fewer false positive tests.
It is important to remember that having occult blood in the stool does not automatically imply that one has colon cancer or a polyp. There are many causes of occult blood in the stomach, small intestine, or colon, most of which are benign. Some examples include bleeding from use of
aspirin or other
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (for example, ibuprofen), ulcers, esophagitis,
colitis, and intestinal angiodysplasias (weakened clusters of blood vessels on the surface of intestinal linings). Therefore, patients with stools containing occult blood should be evaluated by physicians to exclude cancers and polyps, as well as to identify other causes of intestinal bleeding.
Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
Rectal bleeding (hematochezia) refers to the passage of bright red blood from the anus. Rectal bleeding may be moderate to severe and most bleeding comes from the colon, rectum, or anus. Common causes include anal fissures, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, and more.
Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease,
primarily involving the small and large intestine, but which can
affect other parts of the digestive system as well. Abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and weight loss are
common symptoms.
Anemia is the condition of having less than the normal number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. The oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood is, therefore, decreased.
Colon cancer is a malignancy that arises from the inner lining of the colon. Most, if not all, of these cancers develop from colonic polyps. Removal of these precancerous polyps can prevent colon cancer.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation of the colon. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis is closely related to Crohn's disease, and together they are referred to as inflammatory bowel disease. Treatment depends upon the type of ulcerative colitis diagnosed.
IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is a common gastrointestinal disorder involving abnormal gut contractions (motility) characterized by abdominal pain,
bloating, mucous in stools, and irregular bowel habits with alternating diarrhea
and constipation, symptoms that tend to be chronic and to wax and wane over the
years. Treatment options include medication and lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and stress management to control symptoms. Also called spastic colitis, mucus colitis, nervous colon syndrome.
Dyspepsia (indigestion) is a functional disease in which the gastrointestinal organs, primarily the stomach and first part of the small intestine, function abnormally. It is a chronic disease in which the symptoms fluctuate infrequency and intensity. Symptoms of dyspepsia include upper abdominal pain, belching, nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, early satiety, and abdominal distention (swelling). These symptoms are most often provoked by eating.
Inflammation of the inner lining of the colon is referred to as colitis. Symptoms of the inflammation of the colon lining include diarrhea, pain, and blood in the stool. There are several causes of colitis including infection, ischemia of the colon, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, Ulcerative colitis, or microscopic colitis). Treatment depends on the cause of the colitis.
A colon polyp is a benign tumor of the large intestine. Benign polyps do not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body. Benign polyps can easily be removed during colonoscopy and are not life threatening. If benign polyps are not removed from the large intestine, they can become malignant over time.
Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach lining. Causes of gastritis include drinking too much alcohol, medications such as NSAIDs, ibuprofen, aspirin, H. pylori infection, severe infections, burns, anemia, and autoimmune disorders. Gastritis is diagnosed with endoscopy, blood tests, or stool tests. Treatment depends upon the cause of gastritis.
Digestion is the complex process of turning food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestive process also involves creating waste to be eliminated, and is made of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food.
Disease prevention in men includes routine screening tests that are part of basic prevention medicine. Take an active role in your own health care and discuss screening tests with your doctor early in life. Age of screening and timing of screening depends upon the condition being assessed.
Disease prevention in women includes screening tests that are a basic part of prevention medicine. All screening tests
are commonly available through your general doctor. Some specialized tests may be available elsewhere.
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