colonoscopy vs fecal blood test

[Guest guest]

Hi there--While a fecal occult blood test can be useful for detecting GI bleeding for any reason, it's not a replacement for a colonoscopy.  A quick google search yielded the ACG recommendations below.  Given that cancer rates (including non-AIDS defining cancers like colon cancer) are much higher in HIV+ pts even if otherwise healthy and undetectable on meds, we should definitely getting the recommended screenings on schedule--if not sooner.  Many cancer experts are recommending that HIV+ pts get screened sooner, and moves are underway to revise the guidelines to recommend earlier screening for HIV+ pts.

So don't walk, run to your doc and get this done.  While the prep isn't fun, it really isn't that bad.  I had diarrhea for years that was far worse than one day of having to stay close to the toilet.  At least you know it's going to be over in less than 24 hrs.... If you're taking your HIV meds daily as prescribed, getting an anoscopy etc, it doesn't make sense to not do this test.

My two cents,Jeff<<The 2009 recommendations of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG)[46] suggest that colon cancer screening modalities that are also directly preventive by removing precursor lesions should be given precedence, and prefer a colonoscopy every 10 years in average-risk individuals, beginning at age 50. The ACG suggests that cancer detection tests such as any type of FOB are an alternative that is less preferred and which should be offered to patients who decline colonoscopy or another cancer prevention test. However, two other recent guidelines, from the US Multisociety Task Force (MSTF)[47] and the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)[48] while permitting immediate colonoscopy as an option, did not categorize it as preferred. The ACG and MSTF also included CT colonography every 5 years, and fecal DNA testing as considerations. All three recommendation panels recommended replacing any older low-sensitivity, guaiac-based fecal occult blood testing (gFOBT) with either newer high-sensitivity guaiac-based fecal occult blood testing (gFOBT) or fecal immunochemical testing (FIT). MSTF looked at 6 studies that compared high sensitivity gFOBT (Hemoccult SENSA) to FIT, and concluded that there were no clear difference in overall performance between these methods...