Introduction:

In Cuba, colorectal cancer accounts for the third cause of death by malignant tumors, while it is a worldwide health problem, currently preventable by performing tests for the detection of premalignant lesions.

Objective:

To evaluate the presumptive value of colonic premalignant lesions in patients with fecal occult blood.

Methods:

An observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out in patients with fecal occult blood, who received attention in the gastroenterology service of Diez de Octubre Surgical Clinical Teaching Hospital and underwent colonoscopy, in the period from January 2016 to January 2017. To evaluate the variables, the percentage was used as a mathematical measure and the results were shown in tables.

Results:

At the end of the study, a predominance of the female sex was observed. Screening, change of bowel habit and chronic diarrhea were the most frequent indications of fecal occult blood. Polyps and malignant lesions were the most frequent colonoscopic diagnoses. Malignant-appearing lesions were mostly located in the left colon. The most frequent histological diagnosis was made up of adenomas and adenocarcinomas.

Conclusions:

The fecal occult blood test is a predictive method for the detection of premalignant and malignant lesions of the colon in patients who receive attention at the first level of care.

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