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A new study has found that colorectal cancer can be detected through a blood test.
The results of a clinical trial (conducted on humans), published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that the blood-based screening test detects 83% of people with colorectal cancer.
The test, developed by Guardant Health, can be performed by drawing blood to detect cancer signals in the bloodstream by identifying the DNA of the circulating tumor.
The company has already applied for approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, and it is expected to issue its decision later this year.
If the Food and Drug Administration approves the new blood test, it will be another screening tool to detect cancer at an early stage.
For her part, President of the American Gastroenterology Association, Dr. Barbara Yang, says that the test can help improve early detection of colorectal cancer.
She adds: "I believe that performing a blood draw instead of undergoing an invasive test will reach more people, and I hope that, through more tools, we will be able to reach more people."
Source: Qatar News Agency (QNA)