Researcher and expert Dr. Aasma Shaukat reviews the growing range of alternatives to colonoscopy, including at-home stool tests and even a new blood-based test that is available to some. Dr. Shaukat breaks down the various tests, including how often these tests may need to be repeated and the pros and cons of each option.
Dr. Suneel Kamath is a medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic Cancer Institute. Learn more about Dr. Kamath.
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Transcript
Jamie Forward:
Most everyone has heard of a colonoscopy, but what about the other approved tools for colon cancer screening? What are the pros and cons of this at-home test, for example?
Dr. Aasma Shaukat:
Yeah. So, screening colonoscopy is, again, the modality most commonly used in the U.S. There are now at least three types of stool tests that are approved. And one got approval just in the last year. So, it’s a brand-new test. They’re all at-home. And they have a variety of collection methods. Some are simpler. Some require more sample. And some need to be repeated every year. Some need to be repeated every three years.
So, there’s a variety of stool tests now available. And then for clinics that are offering a blood test. So, that’s rapidly going to become an option.
Although we do want to reserve that test for individuals that aren’t willing to undergo a colonoscopy or a stool test. Because, again, the accuracy isn’t quite as high as we’d like it to be. And I think it’s just a matter of time before it does. So, in the meantime, kind of think about either a colonoscopy, which will, if normal, give you a 10-year pass. Or one of these stool tests, which are easy to do in the comfort of your home. They can be mailed in; dropped in the mail. But they need to be repeated more often.
And the other important point is, with these at-home stool tests, the tests themselves don’t really do anything. They essentially give you a result. If it’s positive, then you still need a colonoscopy. But only a small fraction of people need a colonoscopy. So, then, in that regard, we can kind of select out the individuals where there might be something worrisome growing, where they’ll benefit from colonoscopy. And sometimes that’s enough to convince people to undergo a colonoscopy. So, those are kind of the two strategies for getting screening.