New Guidelines Give Choices For Colon Cancer Screenings

Boston (dbTechno) - New guidelines were put in place on Wednesday in the U.S., in regards to checking people for colon cancer. The new guidelines give people a wider variety of choices beyond just colonoscopies, including two new tests. There is a computed tomography colonography, also known as a virtual colonoscopy, as well as an at-home test.

The idea behind these new U.S. guidelines is to get more Americans screened for colon cancer.

The new guidelines include a regular colonoscopy beyond the age of 50, but they go beyond that as well.

Many people do not want to go through the worries and invasiveness that a colonoscopy requires.

Instead, the guidelines allow different tests as well.

The national chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, Dr. Otis Brawley, put out a statement, saying “Despite clear evidence that colorectal cancer screening saves lives and the existence of several effective tests, screening rates have lagged, costing thousands of lives every year.”

The new virtual colonoscopy test uses a CT scan to look for any abnormal growths. It is far less invasive.

The other new test is a stool test that can find abnormal DNA linked with cancer.

Colorectal cancer continues to be the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.