Traditional colonoscopies are better at catching early colon cancer than newly available blood tests, a new study finds.
Researchers say the blood tests are “much better than nothing” for patients who avoid colonoscopy due to the prep or invasive nature of the procedure, but they are not as good at detecting early cancers and precancerous polyps.
Using previously published data, the researchers compared outcomes from colonoscopies, stool samples and new blood tests. They estimated the rate of cancer and deaths among 100,000 average-risk people who used each screening method following current guidelines.
The results showed blood tests were associated with two and a half times as many deaths as colonoscopy. The study also found that colonoscopies and stool-based tests were more cost-effective than the blood-based tests.
The lead author says, “The first generation of blood tests are a really exciting development … but for now, if you’re willing and able to do a colonoscopy or stool-based test, don’t switch to a blood test.”
Source: Annals of Internal Medicine
Author Affiliations: Stanford Medicine
