[Colorectal cancer screening in the Netherlands: which faecal occult blood test?].

The Dutch Ministry of Health has instructed the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) to prepare a national screening programme for colorectal cancer. The RIVM put the immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT) for the programme out to public tender, after which a panel of experts recommended the FOB Gold test. This is surprising since previous studies favoured the OC Sensor test and the FOB Gold test has never been used in the Netherlands. Before starting the national programme in September 2013, the RIVM wants to ascertain which FOB Gold test cut-off value is comparable with the 75 ng/ml of the OC Sensor test recommended by the Health Council of the Netherlands. This cut-off level is crucial for capacity planning of colonoscopies. We advocate starting the national screening programme with the OC Sensor test and subsequent careful comparison with the FOB Gold test during the screening programme.