In theses final ten days of March, Smithtown Today would like to remind our readers to stay vigilant and protect oneself against Colon Cancer. Remind family and loved ones that regular screenings are the best way to protect and prevent Colon Cancer. While the average adult dreads booking a Colonoscopy screening, there are other less invasive ways to detect, easily done in the comfort and privacy of your own home.
Cologuard is a new colon cancer screening method that can be done in the privacy of your own home. The recently FDA approved, stool-based colon screening test can detect the presence of microscopic traces of blood and DNA mutations, potentially caused from cancerous tumors and/or precancerous polyps. This new test helps to find certain cancers that do not bleed. Cologuard is as simple as collecting a stool sample and mailing it to a laboratory for analysis. Doctors recommend this testing be done annually in addition to having a colonoscopy every five years.
How reliable is the Cologuard stool DNA test?
The largest study on record was performed on 10,000 of average risk people. Cologuard stool DNA test was able to detect cancer and precancerous polyps, 92% of the time, when present. Mutations in DNA will differ between various colon cancers. Stool DNA tests target multiple markers, using extremely sensitive laboratory methods, capable of identifying trace amounts in samples. Unlike the FIT test, the Cologuard stool DNA tests can detect precancerous polyps, making this a great preventative measure.
For more information on the Cologuard Stool DNA test, visit the Colon Cancer Alliance online
Colorectal cancer awareness and prevention is an especially bittersweet cause for our editor… As Smithtown Today is dedicated in Loving Memory of Tony Metcalf.