Revolutionizing colorectal cancer screenings: A less invasive blood test may save lives

WASHINGTON (TND) — More than 53,000 Americans are expected to die from colorectal cancer this year.

Medical experts say a big reason for so many deaths is that many people skip out on getting a colonoscopy and are unaware that they have the disease.

Colonoscopy is a procedure a doctor uses to look at the inside of the colon and rectum with a colonoscope, which is a long, flexible tube about the width of a finger with a light and small video camera on the end. It’s put in through the anus and into the rectum and colon, per the American Cancer Society.

"It sounded awful," admitted Dennis Barnes of North Carolina.“Even the take-home test, you know, that's, again, it's unpleasant.”

Barnes is not the only one not wanting a tube near his unmentionables. More than 50 million Americans are not up to date on their colorectal cancer screenings.

According to a new Guardant Health survey conducted by Harris Poll, 93% of primary care physicians said the largest barrier to patients completing their screening is how unpleasant colonoscopies are.

There is now another, less invasive way to check, and Barnes was one of the first patients to try it. The Shield™ test from Guardant Health is a blood test that screens for colorectal cancer. Barnes said it's a "game changer."

It's something as simple as seeing your primary care physician for your annual checkup, and providing just another, second vial of blood," Barnes explained.

Dr. Craig Eagle, the chief medical officer for Guardant Health said the accuracy of the blood test is on par with other non-invasive tests recommended in screening guidelines

"When it's caught early, you can have up to 91% survival at five years. And we're talking about cancer, which can be scary. If it's left to spread, that's a lot wider, the chance of surviving that five years drops down," Eagle said.

He noted more than 75% of those who will die from the disease will be behind on their screenings.

Barnes tested negative for the cancer, and he is telling everyone he knows to take the colorectal blood test too.

If we can make sure that you know, everyone knows that that's available to them, I think the screening numbers will improve drastically. And maybe we can even get to the place where this is no longer an issue for as, as a form of the human condition.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.