Blood Test May Detect Colon Cancer

Most people would rather deliver a speech naked than get a colonoscopy (and some would argue there’s not much difference). New research indicates many people may one day be able to avoid the uncomfortable procedure with a simple, noninvasive and reliable test for colon cancer.

According to a study published Friday in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, the future of colorectal cancer screening may lie in the development of biomarkers for the disease.

South Korean researchers from Genomictree Inc. and Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul found that alterations of a certain gene could discriminate pretty accurately between blood samples from people with cancer and blood samples from people without cancer. Experts say that the blood test findings, while “not quite ready for prime time,” are promising.

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