Colon cancer blood test offers new screening option
Time:2024-05-21 21:59:39 Source:travelViews(143)
A blood test for colon cancer performed well in a study published Wednesday, offering a new kind of screening for a leading cause of cancer deaths.
The test looks for DNA fragments shed by tumor cells and precancerous growths. It’s already for sale in the U.S. for $895, but has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and most insurers do not cover it. The maker of the test, Guardant Health, anticipates an FDA decision this year.
In the study, the test caught 83% of the cancers but very few of the precancerous growths found by colonoscopy, the gold standard for colon cancer screening. Besides spotting tumors, colonoscopies can prevent the disease by removing precancerous growths called polyps.
But some people avoid the exam because of the hassle of getting time off work or the day-ahead preparation that involves drinking a strong laxative to empty the bowels.
Previous:Climber found dead on Denali, North America's tallest peak
Next:Why US Catholics are planning pilgrimages in communities across the nation
You may also like
- Messi in and Dybala out in Argentina squad for pre
- Swedish appeals court rules space rock should stay with the owner of the property where it landed
- Study: Many cancer drugs unproven 5 years after accelerated approval
- NZ Foreign Minister urges Israel not to begin Rafah ground offensive
- Nuggets blow 20
- Posts misrepresent a photo of a Ukrainian soldier balancing on his prosthetic limbs
- NASA's final tally shows spacecraft returned double the amount of asteroid rubble
- Video from 2022 misrepresented as footage of Baltimore bridge collapse
- Kid Rock 'uses N