SERUM FERRITIN - SCREENING-TEST FOR COLORECTAL-CANCER

PURPOSE: There is increasing evidence that screening for colorectal ca ncer may save lives, and consequently, both professional and public in terest in screening for colorectal cancer is increasing. As yet, howev er, there is no perfect screening test. Insidious blood loss is a comm on feature of colorectal cancer and may lead to a fall in serum ferrit in before the patient becomes anemic. Measurement of serum ferritin, w hich is widely available and easily and inexpensively performed, has, therefore, been postulated as a potential screening test for colorecta l cancer. METHOD: This study used samples of serum collected from 148 patients recruited to a screening study for colorectal cancer. All pat ients were thoroughly investigated by double-contrast barium enema and /or colonoscopy. Patients were selected randomly from each of three cl inical diagnostic groups: 50 patients with proven colorectal cancer, 4 9 patients without colon disease, and patients with adenomas of the co lon. Serum ferritin was assayed by immunoradiometry. The expected adul t reference range is 25 to 350 mu g/l, and results were reported witho ut patient identification. RESULTS: There were no significant differen ces in serum ferritin levels among any of the three groups. CONCLUSION : Serum ferritin is unlikely to be of value as a screening test for co lorectal cancer.