Dr. Zeichen Weighs in on New FDA Approved Colon Cancer Blood Test

Current screenings for colon cancer consist of colonoscopies every 10 years or fecal tests every three to five years.

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a blood-based colorectal cancer screening tool, Guardant Health Shield, to detect cancer in the colon or rectum. This new option provides a more convenient alternative to fecal tests. According to a 20,000-patient study published in The New England Journal of Medicine in March, the new blood test detected 83 percent of colorectal cancers, but only 13 percent of dangerous polyps, compared with colonoscopies, which identify 95 percent of those polyps.

“Given the low percentage of polyps detected, we don’t feel this test is as reliable as a colonoscopy,” said Dr. Marianna Zeichen, the associate medical director of Jackson Medical Group’s colorectal and minimally invasive surgery specialist practice. “We would offer this test mostly to elderly patients or those with health issues preventing them from obtaining a colonoscopy.”

Dr. Zeichen, who treats hundreds of patients a year and assists many more in screening for colon cancer, recommends getting routine colonoscopies beginning at 45. “Prevention is key. If there’s a history of cancer in your immediate family (especially colon or breast), we recommend starting colonoscopies 10 years prior to the age at which your family member was diagnosed,” she said. “More importantly, don’t wait to consult with a physician if signs and symptoms are present.”

The recent FDA approval marks the first time any blood test has been given the go-ahead as a primary screening option for colorectal cancer, and the first time any colorectal cancer blood test has met the requirements for Medicare coverage.

“Cancer is scary, but when caught in time, it makes a world of difference,” Dr. Zeichen said.

People who participate in regular screenings have a better chance of early detection, and therefore, a better chance of survival.

If you’re 45 and older, reach out to a Dr. Zeichen for options on what’s best for you and how you can participate in colorectal cancer screenings. (links to doc’s profile for appointment scheduling).