The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the next-generation Cologuard Plus screening test for those 45 and over at average risk for colorectal cancer (CRC). CRC is the number two cancer killer in America. Cologuard Plus appears adequate for reducing the false positives by 30% and therefore preventing unnecessary colonoscopies. If the Cologuard Plus test comes back positive, you must have a colonoscopy right away. People who get negative results still need to keep doing other approved screening methods at the recommended times to make sure they don’t have CRC or advanced cancer.
Most people over the age of 45 will be best served by a colonoscopy, according to Pratima Dibba, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan in New York, NY, although for some people, such as those who have never had a personal or family history of the disease, it may be advised to take a stool DNA test. Read the article.
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