Colorectal cancer

1 in 3 adults age 45-75 are not receiving adequate screening for colon cancer. In adults under 50, colorectal cancer is the top cause of cancer related death in men and the 2nd in women. Colonoscopies should start at age 45 and are still the gold standard for screenings; they are the only test that can visualize and remove colon polyps. These polyps can grow and progress  into cancer if left untreated within 10 years. If you are nervous or hesitant to get this done, come visit with us about your other options for screenings. 68% of colon cancer related deaths could have been prevented by early screenings. Don’t become a statistic! ​

One alternative option we have at Deerwood is Cologuard. This is a kit that analyzes your stool for colon cancer DNA and microscopic blood. With Cologuard there is a risk for having a false positive or a false negative result. In a clinical study, 13% of patients who did not have cancer received a false positive result. In that same study 8% of patients who actually did have cancer received a false negative result. 

An additional option is Shield. This is a blood test that can be done at any of your lab visits. This test works by looking for colorectal neoplasm DNA in the blood. With this test there is no prep required or elimination of food or meds from your diet. These results are back in about 2 weeks. Shield demonstrates a high sensitivity rate of 83% detection rate and 90% specificity as well. 

If these tests come back positive it could mean you have colorectal cancer or advanced adenomas. This would require a follow up colonoscopy. These tests are meant for adults 45 years old who are at typical risk for colon cancer.  It’s not meant to replace a colonoscopy in individuals who are at high risk. This would mean people with IBD, chronic ulcerative colitis, crohn’s, or a family medical history of colorectal cancer need to consider a colonoscopy. 

Source:

https://fightcolorectalcancer.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2024_CRCFactSheet_Web_Compressed.pdf

https://www.cologuardhcp.com/crc-screening-unmet-need/impact-of-choice

https://guardanthealth.com/wp-content/uploads/Guardant_Shield_FactSheet-1.pdf