The American Cancer Society is now adding blood tests to its guidelines for colorectal cancer screening. But that doesn’t mean you should skip your colonoscopy.
In the updated guidelines, released May 27, the organization noted the blood-based screening test, which is taken in a doctor’s office, is not a preferred option compared to colonoscopy, but the shift aims to get more Americans screened. The updated guidelines also include one new and one updated at-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, American Cancer Society’s senior vice president of early cancer detection science, said in a news release.
Still, any abnormal test results from other screening options should be followed up with a timely colonoscopy, the American Cancer Society recommends.
Will Colon Cancer Blood Tests Be Covered by Insurance?
It’s unclear if the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a federal advisory panel responsible for making health recommendations on preventative care to Americans, will update their guidelines to include blood tests like the ACS.
The USPSTF has a major role in choosing what 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 top leaders of the task force, leaving the future of the group uncertain.
Currently, the ACS and USPSTF do align on certain colorectal cancer screening guidelines, including age to start screening and colonoscopy being the preferred method for detection — however, USPSTF does not yet include several of the new testing modalities that the ACS now recommends, including the blood-based and at-home stool tests.
Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society, shared hope that the task force may make updates soon.
“The (task force) last updated its colorectal cancer screening guidelines in 2021 and they typically update them every five years, so we expect an update from them in 2026. We look forward to an update from them later this year that will likely include these additional testing modalities,” Kamal told USA TODAY in an emailed statement.
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