Abstract
This paper is an overview, and summarizes all of the major recent advances in laboratory methods having been used for screening in gastroenterology, which have been published in the last several decades. In Europe, colorectal cancer is the second most frequent malignant disease, and now with quantitative immunochemical FOBT haemoglobin analysing of the stool we currently have the best screening test to date, with an accuracy of nearly 95%.
Celiac disease affects ~1% of most populations, but remains largely unrecognized. The recommended methods for screening are currently by the detection of antibodies for IgG tTGA and IgG DGP.
Evaluations of screening are now discussed in other gastroenterology diseases - such as chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Detection of infection by Helicobacter pylori and stomach-specific plasma biomarkers, especially pepsinogen I/II ratio, could help with the prevention of gastric carcinomas, as well.
The use of faecal calprotectin as a screening test could substantially reduce the number of invasive measurements necessary in the diagnostic work-up of patients with IBD