In the wake of updated colorectal cancer screening (CRC) guidelines released by the American Cancer Society (ACS) late last month that address blood-based and at-home testing for the first time, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) has issued a statement that highlights “key considerations as CRC screening options continue to expand.”
States AGA: “As new CRC screening guidance draws attention to the growing number of testing options, AGA urges patients and primary care providers to understand how those options compare. AGA experts emphasize that screening saves lives—and that the type of test matters.”
AGA states that colonoscopy remains “the strongest screening option” because “it is the only test that both detects CRC early and helps prevent it by allowing doctors to remove precancerous polyps during the same procedure.”
AGA regards stool tests as “a reasonable alternative when colonoscopy is not available or feasible,” but stresses that “patients who choose stool-based screening should understand that abnormal results must be followed by a colonoscopy, and that testing must be repeated at recommended intervals.”
As for blood-based tests, AGA st “should be approached with caution” as they are “less effective than colonoscopy or stool tests at detecting CRC and cannot identify precancerous polyps that should be removed before cancer develops.”
When ACS announced its updated guidelines, it stated that it added guidance for blood-based and at-home screening tests to reflect “advances in disease detection and a critical shift in public health strategy to expand screening options and lower barriers to access.”
“By offering more screening tools in our guideline update, more eligible adults will be able to participate in lifesaving colorectal cancer testing, helping to close the screening gap and catch more cancers at an earlier, treatable stage,” said Robert Smith, PhD, ACS senior vice president, early cancer detection science. ACS added that “the most effective screening test is the one that the patient completes. A colonoscopy remains the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening. However, to provide options, the updated screening guideline includes these [blood-based and at-home] tests.”
“No matter which test you choose, what’s most important is to get screened, and that includes underserved, rural, and minority populations,” said William Dahut, MD, ACS’ chief scientific officer. “These changes were developed to add to the colorectal cancer screening arsenal and help ensure preventive cancer care is available to all.”
