Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT)
What is a Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT)?
A fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is a colorectal cancer screening method that looks at a sample of your stool. Presence of occult blood (blood that is invisible to the naked eye) in your stool may indicate colon cancer or polyps in your colon or rectum.
How to Use Your FOBT Kit
LabCorp Test
- Prepare to get your sample in the morning.
- Line your toilet bowl with the large sheet of paper provided.
- After defecating, get a small sample of your stool from the lining paper using the stick attached to the cap of the sample container.
- Put the cap with the stick back on the sample container.
- Put the sample container into the plastic biohazard bag provided.
- Put the sealed biohazard bag with the sample container into the mailing envelope and seal the envelope.
- Mail the sample or bring it in to our clinic on the same day.
Quest Diagnostics Test
- Prepare to get your sample in the morning.
- Find and complete the label with your Name, Date of Birth, and Collection Date.
- Open the FRONT flap of the sample collection card. WARNING: Do NOT open the card from the back.
- Line your toilet bowl with the large sheet of paper provided.
- After defecating, get a small sample of your stool from the lining paper using one of the brushes provided.
- Brush your sample in the first window on the sample collection card.
- Discard the used brush.
- Using the second brush, get another stool sample and brush it in the second window.
- Seal the sample card using the label with your Name, DOB, and collection date.
- Put the sealed card into the front pocket of the biohazard bag
- Put the sealed biohazard bag into the mailing envelope and seal.
- Mail the sample or bring it in to our clinic on the same day.
Please Note:
- Sample your stool in the morning.
- If you have difficulty getting a sample from the toilet bowl, you can get a small sample from your toilet paper after wiping,
- Mail your sample or bring your sample to our clinic by the end of the same day.
- Do NOT wait multiple days to submit your sample; your test will not be valid.
Learn More
What is Colorectal Cancer?
Colorectal cancer is a disease in which cells in the colon or rectum grow out of control. Sometimes it is called colon cancer, for short. The colon is the large intestine or large bowel. The rectum is the passageway that connects the colon to the anus.
Sometimes abnormal growths, called polyps, form in the colon or rectum. Over time, some polyps may turn into cancer. Screening tests can find polyps so they can be removed before turning into cancer. Screening also helps find colorectal cancer at an early stage, when treatment works best.
What is Colorectal Cancer Screening?
A screening test is used to look for a disease when a person doesn’t have symptoms. (When a person has symptoms, diagnostic tests are used to find out the cause of the symptoms.)
Colorectal cancer almost always develops from precancerous polyps (abnormal growths) in the colon or rectum. Screening tests can find precancerous polyps, so that they can be removed before they turn into cancer. Screening tests can also find colorectal cancer early, when treatment works best.
When is Screening Recommended?
Regular screening, beginning at age 45, is the key to preventing colorectal cancer and finding it early. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) recommends that adults age 45 to 75 be screened for colorectal cancer. The Task Force recommends that adults age 76 to 85 talk to their doctor about screening.