The American Cancer Society is now adding the blood test to its guidelines for screening for colorectal cancer. But that doesn’t mean you should skip your colonoscopy.
In updated guidelines released May 27, the organization said the blood-based screening test, which is taken in a doctor’s office, is not a preferred option over colonoscopy, but the goal of the change is to get more Americans screened. The updated guidelines also include a new and an updated home stool test for screening.
“By offering more screening tools in our guideline update, more eligible adults will be able to participate in lifesaving colorectal cancer testing, helping to close the screening gap and catch more cancers at an earlier, treatable stage,” Dr. Robert Smith, senior vice president of early cancer detection science for the American Cancer Society, said in a news release.
Nevertheless, the American Cancer Society recommends that a colonoscopy be performed in a timely manner after any abnormal test results from other screening options.
Will colon cancer blood tests be covered by insurance?
It’s unclear whether the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the federal advisory panel responsible for making health recommendations on preventive care for Americans, will update its guidelines to include blood tests like the ACS.
The USPSTF has a major role in choosing which preventive health services will be covered by insurance plans at no cost to patients under the Affordable Care Act, including cancer screenings. But earlier this month, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired the task force’s top leaders, leaving the group’s future uncertain.
Currently, the ACS and the USPSTF align on some colorectal cancer screening guidelines, including the age to start screening and the preferred method for detection, colonoscopy – however, the USPSTF does not yet include several new testing modalities recommended by the ACS, including blood-based and at-home stool testing.
Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society, expressed hope that the task force can update soon.
“(The task force) last updated their colorectal cancer screening guidelines in 2021 and they typically update them every five years, so we expect an update from them in 2026. We expect an update from them later this year that will likely include these additional testing modalities,” Kamal told USA TODAY in an email statement.