A new blood test was found to be 83% accurate at detecting asymptomatic colorectal cancer. The results of the research were published in the journal NEJM.
Nearly 8,000 people ages 45 to 84 participated in the study. The test’s accuracy was evaluated by comparing it to colonoscopy, the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening. The new analysis is based on the study of tumor DNA in human blood. This method is also known as liquid biopsy.
Of the participants whose colorectal cancer was confirmed by colonoscopy, 83.1% had a positive blood test result. In the rest, a colonoscopy revealed a tumor, but the test returned a negative result. The blood test was most sensitive for early-stage bowel cancer and less sensitive for precancerous lesions that can turn into cancer over time.
The new test is as accurate as at-home stool tests. But it’s much more convenient to have your blood tested, which can lead to more comprehensive cancer screening.
“Colorectal cancer is common and easily preventable through screening, but only 50 to 60% of people eligible for screening actually receive these tests,” the scientists said.
Russian scientists before I learnedthat gut microbes may increase your chances of surviving cancer.