本研究旨在描述具有结直肠癌高危症状的初级保健患者的粪便免疫化学测试不返回率，以及“不返回者”的临床结果。从 2019 年 1 月至 2021 年 7 月，转诊的患者对有疑似结直肠癌症状并优先转诊或紧急怀疑患有癌症的二级护理人员进行了粪便免疫化学检测。无论粪便免疫化学测试结果或结果如何，所有患者均接受了调查。对返回粪便免疫化学检测的患者和未返回患者的人口统计学和结直肠癌患病率等临床结果进行比较。在该研究的 7345 名患者中，874 名患者 (11.9%) 没有返回粪便免疫化学检测。未回归者特征包括男性（P = 0.040）、年龄较小（中位年龄 57 岁与 65 岁，P < 0.001）、每次直肠出血（P < 0.001）和较低的社会经济地位（苏格兰多重剥夺指数中位，6 与7，P < 0.001）与那些返回粪便免疫化学测试的人相比。在接受结直肠检查的 6294 名患者中，结直肠癌患病率（5.4% 对比 3.6%，P = 0.032）和显着肠道病理学的患病率高于未回归者（15.3% 对比 9.8%，P < 0.001）。中位随访时间为 25 个月，整个 7345 名队列中返回和未返回粪便免疫化学检测的人的结直肠癌患病率相同（3.2% 与 3.8%，P = 0.108）。值得注意的是，与粪便免疫化学测试相比，被诊断患有结直肠癌的未回归者更年轻（中位年龄 64 岁与 73 岁，P < 0.001）并且来自较低的社会经济地区（苏格兰多重剥夺指数中位 4 与 7，P = 0.015）返回者。转诊至二级护理、有疑似结直肠癌症状、未返回粪便免疫化学测试的患者与返回测试的患者的结直肠癌患病率相似。© 作者 2024 年。由牛津大学出版社于 2024 年出版代表 BJS 基金会有限公司

This study aimed to describe the faecal immunochemical test non-return rate of those referred with high-risk symptoms of colorectal cancer from primary care, and the clinical outcomes of the 'non-returners'.From January 2019 to July 2021, patients referred to secondary care with symptoms suspicious of colorectal cancer and a referral priority of urgent or urgent suspicion of cancer were sent a faecal immunochemical test. All patients were investigated regardless of faecal immunochemical test return or result. Demographics and clinical outcomes such as colorectal cancer prevalence were compared between those who returned a faecal immunochemical test and non-returners.Of 7345 patients included in the study, 874 (11.9%) did not return a faecal immunochemical test. Non-returner characteristics included male sex (P = 0.040), younger age (median age 57 versus 65 years, P < 0.001), per rectal bleeding (P < 0.001) and lower socioeconomic status (median Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, 6 versus 7, P < 0.001) compared with those who returned a faecal immunochemical test. Of 6294 patients undergoing colorectal investigation, there was a greater prevalence of colorectal cancer (5.4% versus 3.6% P = 0.032) and significant bowel pathology than in the non-returners (15.3% versus 9.8%, P < 0.001). With a median follow-up of 25 months, the colorectal cancer prevalence for the entire 7345 cohort was equal between those who returned and did not return a faecal immunochemical test (3.2% versus 3.8%, P = 0.108). Of note, the non-returners diagnosed with colorectal cancer were younger (median age 64 versus 73 years, P < 0.001) and from a lower socioeconomic area (median Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 4 versus 7, P = 0.015) than faecal immunochemical test returners.Patients referred to secondary care, with symptoms suspicious of colorectal cancer, that did not return a faecal immunochemical test had a similar colorectal cancer prevalence to those that returned the test.© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of BJS Foundation Ltd.