Skip to main content

Guaiac fecal occult blood test (gFOBT)

The guaiac fecal occult blood test (gFOBT) is used to screen for colorectal cancer. Cancer in the colon or polyps in the colon are more likely to bleed than normal colon tissue is. This test uses a chemical to check for very small amounts of blood in the stool.

If signs of blood are found in the stool sample, more tests, such as a colonoscopy, will be done to find the cause.

Current as of: October 25, 2023

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

 
 

PeaceHealth endeavors to provide comprehensive health care information, however some topics in this database describe services and procedures not offered by our providers or within our facilities because they do not comply with, nor are they condoned by, the ethics policies of our organization.