Trends in the full blood count blood test and colorectal cancer detection: a longitudinal, case-control study of UK primary care patient data

Background: The full blood count (FBC) is a common test performed in general practice. It consists of many individual parameters that may change over time due to colorectal cancer. Such changes are likely missed We identified trends these FBC facilitate early detection cancer. Methods: We retrospective, case-control, longitudinal analysis UK primary care patient data. LOWESS smoothing and mixed effects models were derived compare each parameter between patients diagnosed not prior 10-year period. Results: There 399,405 males (2.3%, n = 9,255 diagnosed) 540,544 females (1.5%, 8,153 the study. was no difference cases controls 10 four years before diagnosis. Within diagnosis, levels statistically significantly differed controls, including red cell count, haemoglobin, white platelets (interaction cancer presence: p <0.05). similar Duke’s Stage A D tumours, but started around one year earlier diagnoses. Conclusions: Trends different with without for up could help identification.