A Swedish cohort study highlights an increased risk of colorectal cancer in patients with a positive fecal occult blood test (FOBT) who did not undergo a follow-up colonoscopy. In this group, the incidence of colorectal cancer increased fourfold compared to patients who underwent a colonoscopy. The study emphasizes the importance of following the recommended screening procedure, where a positive FOBT test must always be followed by a detailed colonoscopic examination. A colonoscopy allows the doctor to identify the cause of the bleeding and remove potentially precancerous polyps. The results point to the need to improve patients' adherence to further examination after a positive test for occult bleeding. The study suggests that targeted interventions could help reduce the risk of cancer in high-risk groups who do not complete the full screening procedure.