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Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT)
A procedure called a fecal occult blood test (FOBT)
detects invisible amounts of blood in the feces, a possible
sign of several disorders, including colon cancer. The test
is painless and can be done at home or in the doctor's
office. With an application stick, a dab of a stool specimen
is smeared on a chemically treated card, which is tested in
a laboratory for evidence of blood. If blood is confirmed
in the stool, more elaborate tests may be performed to
find the source of the bleeding. Early detection using
FOBT may help to decrease mortality from colon cancer.
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