Article: Blood test for colon cancer risk may lessen need for colonoscopies

Blood test for colon cancer risk may lessen need for colonoscopies

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE mmarchione@journalsentinel.com, Journal Sentinel

Friday, March 14, 2003

For the first time, a simple blood test shows promise in helping predict the average person's risk of developing the most common form of colon cancer.

Other blood tests either detect cancer after it has developed or identify the risk in people with rarer genetic or inherited forms of the disease.

The new blood test needs more study and won't be available for at least several years. But it could become a screening tool that might someday make dreaded scope exams less frequent or sort out who needs them most and who can safely skip ...

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