8 Focus on FIT Characteristic Target Population Aim Purpose Faecal Haemoglobin Cut-off Concentration Used Interpretation of Results Potential Harms ••• Additional Benefits ✓ Potential Improvements A Tale of Two Settings by Professor Callum G. Fraser, Centre for Research into Cancer Prevention and Screening, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee Faecal Immunochemical Tests (FIT) are now used for asymptomatic population-based bowel (cancer) screening and also for the assessment of patients presenting with lower abdominal symptoms, particularly in primary care. FIT provide one investigation that is of significant value in these two very different clinical settings. These applications have different target populations, aims, faecal haemoglobin cut-offs, interpretation of results, potential harms, additional benefits, potential improvements and possible strategies for the future. It is important that these different aspects of FIT are appreciated as this test rolls out across the UK and the major advantages of increasing screening uptake and helping to decide which patients presenting in primary care would benefit most from colonoscopy are gained. The adjacent table clarifies the attributes.
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