Some D.C.-area doctors hope a decision this week by the Food and Drug Administration will save the lives of people with colorectal cancer.
On Monday, the FDA approved a blood test made by Guardant, which can detect colon cancer with a simple blood test.
“I think this represents a major change in colon cancer screening,” said Dr. Timothy Cannon, a medical oncologist at the Inova Schar Cancer Institute.
The test works by detecting the DNA shed by cancer cells in the body.
Cannon said oncologists are already using this blood test to learn more about the tumor activity inside someone diagnosed with cancer. However, he added that this will now allow doctors to catch the cancer in earlier stages in people who may not keep up with colonoscopies.
Cannon said the blood test is not a replacement for colonoscopies, as it will not detect precancerous cells. The problem is many people put off colonoscopies for reasons ranging from access to doctors who can do the procedure, to the logistics and difficulties which can come with prepping for a colonoscopy.
“The most effective test for our population is the one that people are willing to do. And a lot of people aren’t willing to do colonoscopies, so having this option will hopefully reduce the number of advanced colon cancers in our society,” said Cannon.
The FDA decision will pave the way for insurance companies footing the bill for its use for detection of colon cancer. Before, if someone wanted to use it to detect colon cancer, it would cost them close to $900.
“Hopefully it will be something that’s helpful for the underserved communities that don’t have access to colonoscopies, hopefully this blood test helps us identify more early-stage cancers,” he said.
Cannon said catching colon cancer early increases the chance that it can be treated with surgery and cured.
Tests such as this, according to Cannon, have him excited about the future of cancer detection.
“I anticipate that we’ll see tests for other cancers, perhaps pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer and others that, that get screened through this type of technology,” said Cannon.
As for the colon cancer tests, Cannon suspects primary care doctors and gastroenterologists will see more patients who want to use the test to screen for the illness.
“I’m sure that I will see a lot of people who have been diagnosed with cancer because of this test,” he said.
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