Faecal Immunochemical Tests (FIT Test)
The Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT test) is a non-invasive screening test designed to detect the presence of human blood in stool samples, which may indicate various gastrointestinal conditions, including bowel cancer. The FIT test is particularly effective in screening asymptomatic individuals for bowel cancer, as well as investigating abdominal symptoms such as changes in bowel habit, anaemia, weight loss or unusual stools. Unlike older faecal occult blood tests (FOBTs), the FIT test specifically targets human haemoglobin, or haemoglobin/haptoglobin complexes in stool, making it more accurate and less likely to produce false positives from dietary sources, like red meat.