What if you could get checked for colon cancer with only a routine blood draw? A new blood test in Michigan is making the process much easier.
No bowel prep, no sedation and no awkward stool kit to mail. The SHIELD test is now available in Michigan and aims to do just that.
SHIELD was approved last summer by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after about five years of clinical testing.
How it works
A doctor must order SHIELD. After that, it’s just a blood draw. If your doctor’s office can’t do it, the company can send a phlebotomist to your home at no extra cost. The sample is sent to Guardant Health’s lab in California for analysis.
What it looks for
Dr. Sam Asgarian, vice president of clinical development at Guardant, says the test looks at the DNA present in the sample looking specifically for DNA that points to colorectal cancer. “It looks for tumor DNA,” he said. If that DNA is found, the test flags a positive result.
Getting results
You’ll get a secure link with your results by text. Your doctor gets a copy at the same time, so they can help with any next steps.
