Home Test a New Easy Way to Screen for Colon Cancer
One of the deadliest cancers in the United States can now be detected in the privacy of your own home.
Exact Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ:EXAS) has created Cologuard to screen for colon cancer, the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women.
“If you’re between the ages of 50 and 84, you should be getting screened for colon cancer,” said CEO Kevin Conroy to the FOX Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo. He added, it’s “known as the most preventable, but least prevented of all cancers.”
Conroy said the test is very easy: A patient gets a prescription for the at-home kit from his or her doctor, collects a stool sample and returns the kit to the Cologuard lab via prepaid UPS (NYSE:UPS) shipping.
“There’s a simple, yes [or] no result,” he said. “If positive, then you need to go get a colonoscopy. If negative, you go back into screening.”
Cologuard is the first DNA-based, FDA approved, accurate at-home test available in the U.S., Conroy added.
While a colonoscopy is the standard for early detection, Cologuard detected 94% of curable stage colon cancer in a large study, according to Conroy.
“If you’re detected with colon cancer early, nine out of 10 people survive. If you’re detected with colon cancer late, one out of 10 people survive,” he said.
Cologuard is covered by many insurance companies, but out of pocket costs could reach $649, according to the company’s website.