WASHINGTON (NEWSnet/AP) — U.S. health regulators on Monday approved a blood test for colon cancer, offering a new screening option for a leading cause of cancer deaths.

Test manufacturer Guardant said the Food and Drug Administration approved its Shield test for screening in adults 45 and older who have an average risk of colon cancer. The test isn’t a replacement for colonoscopies, but provides a noninvasive option for some patients. The test looks for DNA fragments shed by tumor cells and precancerous growths.

Doctors can already order Shield for patients as a laboratory test with an out-of-pocket price of $895. The FDA approval is expected to increase coverage by private and government insurance.

In a study published in March, the test caught 83% of the cancers but very few of the precancerous growths found by colonoscopy, the gold standard for colon cancer screening. Besides spotting tumors, colonoscopies can prevent the disease by removing precancerous growths called polyps.

The blood test missed 17% of cancers, performance that is on par with stool-based tests. 

In the U.S., screening is recommended for healthy adults ages 45 to 75 at average risk for colon cancer. But the number of people who participate in screening is lower than the goal set by the American Cancer Society and other groups. For many people, scheduling a colonoscopy requires taking time off work or other responsibilities in addition to preparation steps to empty the bowels.

With this non-invasive option, physicians will be able to run the test after taking a simple blood draw, Guardant said in a statement. Doctors and patients can then decide whether to take the next step.

The company plans to launch its product “in the near future.”

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