Blood test for colon cancer approved by US FDA

Less messy than a stool test and much easier than a colonoscopy, this blood test may help raise the number of people who choose to screen for this common cancer. — TNS

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved a new blood-based method of colon cancer detection, offering a new alternative to catch more cases of a leading cause of cancer deaths, but one some physicians caution is not without drawbacks.

The test, manufactured by American biotechnology company Guardant Health, uses a blood draw to test for colorectal cancer in adults aged 45 and older who have an average risk of colorectal cancer.