Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of rectal epithelial cells stability FH for the early screening of rectal cancer.

Methods FH, CEA and CA19-9 were performed in 300 patients. We used pathological diagnostic results as the gold standard and electronic colonoscopy as an assistance to analyze the detection indicators of epithelial cells stability FH, CEA and CA19-9 test for screening rectal malignancy, such as sensitivity(Sen), specificity(Spe), false negative rate(missed diagnosis rate), false positive rate (the misdiagnosis rate), negative likelihood ratio (LR), positive likelihood ratio (LR+), diagnosis index (DI), Youden index, crude coincidence rate (CA), negative predictive value (PV-) and positive predictive value (PV+), etc.

Results The positive rate of epithelial cell stability FH test for rectal malignant tumor was higher than those of CEA and CA19-9 (P=0.000). Among the 40 cases of rectal malignant tumor, 38 positive cases(95%) were detected by epithelial cell stability FH, 23 positive cases(57.5%) were detected by CEA, 10 positeve cases(25%) were detected by CA19-9. The sensitivity, positive likelihood ratio, diagnostic index, Youden index, negative predictive value and positive predictive value of FH were all higher than those of CEA and CA19-9, while the false negative rate and negative likelihood ratio were lower than CEA and CA19-9.

Conclusion There are higher sensitivity, positive likelihood ratio, diagnostic index, Youden index, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, lower false negative rate and negative likelihood ratio of epithelial cells stability FH in rectal cancer screening.