Blood test shows 83% accuracy for detecting colorectal cancer, study finds

A humor trial intended to observe colorectal cancer performed good successful a objective study, a measurement towards expanding options for screening nan perchance deadly disease. 

Published successful nan New England Journal of Medicine Wednesday, nan study recovered nan trial correctly detected colorectal crab successful 83% of group confirmed to person nan illness who were astatine mean consequence and not experiencing symptoms. For 10% of people, it falsely indicated they mightiness person colon crab erstwhile nan colonoscopy recovered nothing.

"The results of nan study are a promising measurement toward processing much convenient devices to observe colorectal crab early while it is much easy treated," corresponding writer Dr. William M. Grady, a gastroenterologist astatine Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, said successful a news release. "The test, which has an accuracy complaint for colon crab discovery akin to stool tests utilized for early detection of cancer, could connection an replacement for patients who whitethorn different diminution existent screening options."

CBS News main aesculapian analogous Dr. Jon LaPook, a gastroenterologist astatine NYU Langone Health, said this promises to thief usher successful an replacement to existent screening tests, including colonoscopy, stool testing for humor and stool testing for familial material.

"A humor trial is charismatic because it's comparatively easy to do and there's nary 'ick factor' that tin support group from doing location stool testing," he said. "In nan New England Journal study, nan cell-free DNA humor trial detected 83% of colon cancers but only 65% (11 of 17) of those successful shape 1, which are statistically nan astir curable, and I await further investigation to thief find its domiciled successful colon crab screening."

The trial has not been approved by nan Food and Drug Administration and astir insurers do not screen it, but it is already for waste successful nan U.S. for $895.

"The institution has made an FDA submission," LaPook noted during an quality connected "CBS Mornings" Friday. "The FDA is considering it, and they're reasoning successful nan outpouring there's going to beryllium an advisory committee and past it could beryllium approved by nan extremity of nan twelvemonth — remains to beryllium seen." 

The findings travel from a multisite objective trial of astir 8,000 group ages 45 to 84, wherever Guardant's Shield humor trial was compared to colonoscopy, nan existent golden modular for colorectal crab screening. The study was led and funded by nan shaper of nan test, Guardant Health.

"The golden modular for colon crab screening is colonoscopy because it tin observe colon crab successful its earliest, astir treatable stages and it tin find and region precancerous polyps earlier they person a chance to move into cancer," LaPook said. 

While colorectal crab is communal and preventable pinch screening, only astir 50% to 60% of group who are eligible for screening really return those tests, Grady said. 

"Getting group to beryllium screened for crab useful champion erstwhile we connection them screening options and past fto them take what useful champion for them" he said.

The study comes arsenic much Americans are getting colon cancer, and astatine younger ages.

• What millennials request to cognize astir colon cancer: Q&A pinch Dr. Jon LaPook

Colorectal cancer, erstwhile nan fourth-leading origin of crab deaths for group younger than 50, has leaped up nan list, becoming nan leading origin for men and ranking 2nd for women, according to a study published earlier this year.

Colon crab screening guidelines person shifted successful caller years to effort to drawback crab earlier, lowering nan recommended property of first screening from 50 to 45 for adults pinch mean risk. 

Overall, colorectal crab is nan third astir communal crab diagnosed successful some men and women successful nan United States, according to nan American Cancer Society. The statement anticipates 106,590 caller cases of colon crab successful 2024. 

While nan humor trial is simply a "potentially a large deal," LaPook says, much specifications are needed.

"I want to spot much investigation connected this to spot precisely who should get it and really often you get nan test," he shared connected CBS Mornings. 

In:
• Cancer
• Colonoscopy