What does raised calprotectin mean?

[pinkbloom]

I'm having a few issues with bowel changes at the moment. Constipated and then will have sudden diarrhoea.

My gp took some stool tests, the FIT one said normal but the calprotectin was raised at 60 (normal is 50). Does anybody know what this means?

They have just asked to retest in a few weeks but I'm a bit anxious about bowel cancer etc as it runs in the family?

If it's any consolation my calprotectin was 680 so I really wouldn't worry too much at 60. It's very slightly raised. The calprotectin test is there to differentiate between iBD and IBS.
I was diagnosed with colitis (form of IBD)
Your FIT test was negative and afaik this is the cancer screening one.

It's a marker for inflammation in the gut. Mine was around 4,000 a year ago (thankfully normal now) due to developing sudden gluten intolerance. So a value of 60 isn't high at all.

The FIT one is the cancer one so you’re all good x

Thank you everyone x

My calprotectin was over 600 last year, colonoscopy and biopsies were all normal. Eventually diagnosed with bile acid malabsorption. Try not to worry and see what the repeat one shows, but reassuring that fit test was normal.