Can colon cancer be detected on a fecal occult blood test?
The only thing a fecal occult blood test can do is detect blood in your stool which is a symptom of many things, colon cancer being only one of them. I don’t know if Pepto Bismol can make your stools black or not, but it is a sign of bleeding from your GI tract. Not being able to completely empty your bowels is another sign of colon cancer. All of this being said, most people with colon cancer do not have pain in both sides of their abdomen and it is very rare for someone you age to have colon cancer. However, something is clearly wrong and you should see a doctor, preferably a gastroenterologist. There are several things it could be and some of those if left untreated could leave you with lifelong gastric problems and at a higher risk for cancer later in life. I hope you feel better soon.
