Stool occult blood tests

[Tanya Shivari]

Bleeding in the digestive system can be caused by something as insignificant as a little irritation or as serious as cancer. Chemicals can be used to detect small amounts of blood that are too small to be seen or change the appearance of stool (called occult blood). The detection of such small amounts of blood may provide an early clue that ulcers, cancers, or other abnormalities are present. Stool tests for genetic material from cancer cells may also be used to detect cancer.