FDA Approves New Shield Blood Test for Colorectal Cancer Screening: What You Need to Know, Keeran Sampat, MD

Keeran Sampat, MD, Virginia Cancer Specialists, Arlington Office – emphasizes that the Shield blood test is a promising development that could enhance screening rates for colon cancer, a disease that is highly curable when detected early. He notes, “The recent FDA approval for the ‘Shield’ blood DNA test is a promising development that could help improve screening rates for colon cancer. Having several screening tools including traditional colonoscopies, stool DNA testing, and now blood testing will hopefully help save lives. The choice of which screening option is appropriate should be discussed with a physician. We should remember that both stool and blood testing have some limitations in detecting precancerous polyps when making the decision about which test to pursue.”