| Theme | Clinical characteristics of fecal immunochemical test (FIT) negative colorectal cancer | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | The history of the development of the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) | |
| Publish Date | 2019/09 | |
| Author | Hiroshi Saito | Department of Gastroenterology, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital |
| [ Summary ] | The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) was developed to overcome the shortcomings of the guaiacbased fecal occult blood test by improving the specificity for detection of human hemoglobin (Hb). Several essential findings necessary for high specificity of the FIT have been observed. Anti-human Hb antisera raised against insufficiently prepared human Hb can result in false positives in fecal samples without Hb. In addition, the physiological value of human Hb in feces from normal subjects is a key factor in determining the cut-off value of the FIT. These early findings, identified by studies from Japan, are considered vital in ensuring that the FIT is highly specific. | |