I would not trust the stool test. At 47, I am now a four month survivor of stage 3 colorectal cancer. First and only sign was blood on my stool -
STOOL TEST SHOWED NOTHING!! 
Everyone thought haemorrhoids, luckily my Dr. still booked a barium, something showed, colonoscopy proved cancer - pT3,N0,R0,V0 was the determination after surgery (removed 90% of my rectum and part of my sigmoid colon 3/29/2007). 1 layer of cells away from having it spread - timing and location was my saving grace. Extremely lucky to need no radiation or chemotherapy - only a 5% increase in survival rate (75%).
I suggest this thread be made a sticky and everyone over 40 read it.
My riding has been very therapeutic.
On the upside I am no longer a complete a**hole!
Originally Posted by
twobikes
I recently had a physical, but the doctor offered another option to the colonoscopy that is much simpler. It involves placing a small smear of feces on a card from three separate bowel movements. It is supposed to be just as effective in spotting cancer as the colonoscopy. There is no barium enema and no risk of a perforated colon, nor any anesthetic or missing work. You do restrict certain food items for about a week before taking the samples. This test needs to be done every year, whereas a colonoscopy can be done only every ten years.