Fit test false positive causes

A false positive test would occur when the test was positive but you do not have any signs of polyps or cancer. This happens approximately 25% of the time. This can be the result of other issues (such as inflammation or hemorrhoids) causing blood to be present in the stool.

1. What percentage of positive fit tests turn to cancer?
2. Can hemorrhoids cause a positive FIT test?
3. Is a positive FIT test urgent?
4. Is a FIT test just for cancer?

What percentage of positive fit tests turn to cancer?

Abnormal FIT results are common and do NOT mean that you have cancer. On average, 10-15 percent of people screened with FIT will have an abnormal result and will require additional testing. This does not mean that cancer was found – over 96 percent of people with an abnormal FIT result will be found to not have cancer.

Can hemorrhoids cause a positive FIT test?

False-positive (FP) results of fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) conducted in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening could lead to performing unnecessary colonoscopies. Hemorrhoids are a possible cause of FP FIT results; however, studies on this topic are extremely rare.

Is a positive FIT test urgent?

Patients with a FIT of 4–10 µg Hb/g faeces with anaemia, low ferritin or thrombocytosis, or with FIT ≥10 µg Hb/g faeces are considered 'positive' and investigated urgently via the 2WW.

Is a FIT test just for cancer?

FIT (Faecal Immunochemical Test) is a test that looks for blood in a sample of your poo. It looks for tiny traces of blood that you might not be able to see and which could be a sign of cancer. Traces of blood in your poo can be caused by other medical conditions and doesn't necessarily mean you have cancer.