Erschienen in:
01.04.2014 | Review Article
Blood-Based Testing for Colorectal Cancer Screening
verfasst von:
Karen A. Heichman
Erschienen in:
Molecular Diagnosis & Therapy
|
Ausgabe 2/2014
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Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common non-skin cancer diagnosed in men and women in the USA and worldwide. While it has been clearly established that screening for CRC, using a variety of methods, is cost effective and has a significant impact on overall survival, screening rates have proven to be sub-optimal. It has been long conjectured that a simple blood-based test, with a specimen drawn at a routine doctor’s office visit, would encourage those individuals who have refused or ignored screening recommendations to undergo screening. This article reviews the currently available blood-based screening tests for CRC, including the ColonSentry™ messenger RNA (mRNA) expression panel and the SEPT9 methylated DNA test, and explores newer biomarkers that are near clinical implementation. Also discussed are additional applications for blood-based CRC testing, such as assessing prognosis, disease surveillance, and expansion of screening tests to high-risk populations, such as the estimated 1.4 million individuals in the USA with inflammatory bowel disease.