The Findings and Impact of Nonrehydrated Guaiac Examination of the Rectum (FINGER) Study

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Abstract
SCREENING FOR fecal occult blood has been shown to reduce mortality from colorectal cancer,1-3 the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.4 Because 70% to 80% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed in "average-risk" patients,5 the American Cancer Society recommends annual fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) of stool samples in all patients aged 50 years or older using 3 specimens obtained from spontaneously passed stools (SPS).6 To decrease the number of false-positive FOBT results, patients are placed on dietary restrictions, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and aspirin use is discontinued 1 week before testing. Despite these recommendations, clinicians often test stool samples for occult blood at the time of digital rectal examination (DRE).7 Although widely practiced, this screening method has been discouraged because it is thought to increase the number of false-positive FOBT results.8,9