This week, the U.S. FDA approved the first use of a liquid biopsy (blood test) for colorectal cancer screening. The test, called Shield, is expected to launch commercially within the next week and is the first blood test to be approved by the FDA as a primary screening option for CRC that meets requirements for Medicare reimbursement.
While the convenience of a blood test could potentially encourage more people to get screened, expert consensus is that blood tests can’t prevent CRC and should not be considered a replacement for a colonoscopy. Modeling studies and expert consensus published earlier this year in Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology shed light on the perils of liquid biopsy.
“Based on their current characteristics, blood tests should not be recommended to replace established colorectal cancer screening tests, since blood tests are neither as effective or cost-effective, and would worsen outcomes,” said David Lieberman, MD, chair, AGA CRC Workshop chair and lead author of an expert commentary on liquid biopsy for CRC screening.
5 key takeaways
