A fresh blood test to identify colon cancer in those with “average risk” has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The California-based company that developed the check, Guardant Health, announced on Monday that Shield is the first blood test to be approved by the FDA as a major colorectal cancer screening option and that it also meets Medicare reimbursement requirements. It has a more than 83 % success rate in clinical trials and is capable of detecting tumor DNA.
In a statement released by Guardant Health, physician at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, Dr. William M. Grady said,” This is a tempting step toward making more suitable tools available to detect colon cancer earlier while it is more readily treated.”
The American Cancer Society projects that more than 53, 000 people will pass away from colon cancer this year, making it the second-most popular cause of cancer deaths. With improved screen, experts believe those figures would have increased by more than half.
A colon, which is recommended every 10 times, remains the most-accurate process to screen for colon cancer.
The blood test, which is expected to be available to the public within the next week, may give people an alternative to additional screening procedures, such as at-home seat testing, Dr. Grady said.
When scientists recommend starting colon cancer screening, the check is approved for people over the age of 45.
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