This home test could become a tool in the fight against colon cancer
A new, noninvasive test to screen for colon cancer will be available starting Monday.
The Cologuard test was developed at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, where it will be available by prescription before rolling out nationwide, The Associated Press reports. Patients will send in their stool sample to a lab, where it will be tested for DNA that could be a sign of cancer or precancerous polyps.
In the United States, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths; globally, it's fourth. Only about 60 percent of people who should get screened do so, and researchers will be watching to see if Cologuard boosts screenings.
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