Navigating false-positive outcomes after stool-based colorectal cancer screening tests: a scoping review
When colonoscopy misses cancer after screening, standardized follow-up definitions could clarify how often to repeat exams and check upper digestive organs.
This scoping review of 8 studies found that among patients with positive stool-based CRC screening and negative colonoscopy, CRC on repeat colonoscopy occurs in ~0.5% while upper GI/aerodigestive cancers appear in 0-4.3%, but heterogeneous definitions make conclusions weak. Standardized reporting frameworks are critically needed to guide clinical management.
What the study was
- Study design
- Scoping review (3,442 studies screened; 8 met criteria)
- Population
- Patients with positive FIT/mt-sDNA tests and negative colonoscopy
- Category
- Early Detection
- Maturity
- Exploratory
- Journal
- BMC Gastroenterol
Why it surfaced
Addresses important clinical gap (false-positive stool test management) but only 8 studies met inclusion criteria. Scoping methodology + heterogeneous definitions limit conclusions. Gap identification is its primary value.
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