As new colorectal cancer screening guidance expands the menu of testing options, the American Gastroenterological Association told Becker’s in an email it’s urging patients and providers not to treat all options as equivalent.
In a statement following the American Cancer Society’s updated guidelines, AGA outlined a three-tier position. Colonoscopy remains the strongest option: it is the only test that both detects colorectal cancer and prevents it by removing precancerous polyps in a single procedure.
Stool-based tests are a reasonable alternative when colonoscopy is not available, provided abnormal results are followed by a colonoscopy and testing is repeated at recommended intervals.
Blood-based tests, including Shield, should be approached with caution. AGA said they are less effective than colonoscopy or stool tests at detecting cancer and cannot identify precancerous polyps. Shield detected 83% of colorectal cancers in studies but only 13% of dangerous precancerous polyps. Colonoscopy finds approximately 95% of those polyps.
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