Article: DNA test for colon cancer holds hope.(NEWS)

An experimental DNA test that could be done at home may, in a few years, make it easier to detect colon cancer at its earliest stages and save thousands of lives, according to a study led by researchers at the Mayo Clinic.

The test, which relies on a stool sample rather than an internal examination, detected 20 out of 22 cases of colon cancer - or 91 percent - in a group of 61 patients.

It also found 73 percent of precancerous polyps, according to the study, published today in the November issue of the journal Gastroenterology.

The test won't be widely available for at least two years, said Dr. David Ahlquist, the study's lead scientist. He ...

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