A new type of blood test can detect colon cancer with nearly a 90 percent accuracy rate, a potential breakthrough in the epidemic.
A new study from researchers at New York University found the experimental blood test is around 80 percent accurate in detecting colon cancer compared to a colonoscopy, the current gold-standard method for diagnosing the condition.
The test – which detects changes in DNA that indicate the presence of cancer – was also 90 percent accurate in ruling out colon cancer among healthy people.
If the test – from California-based biotechnology company Freenome – was approved for market, it would be one of the most accurate tests of its kind.
Lead researcher, Dr Aasma Shaukat, told DailyMail.com that a highly accurate test would transform the way doctors screen for the disease. Currently too many people who are eligible for colonoscopies don’t come forward, she said.
News of the new blood test comes as scientists from the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates report they have found a possible natural treatment for colon cancer.
They say the common wormwood shrub – which has been used in traditional medicine for centuries to treat a range of illnesses from digestion problems to kidney disorders – harbors compounds that could effectively target and kill colorectal cancer cells.
Meanwhile, the antidote appears to leave healthy cells relatively intact.
A new type of blood test can detect colon cancer with more than a 90 percent accuracy rate, researchers claim
For the research, wormwood plants were dried and ground into an extremely fine powder, with the dust used to create a methanol-based extract for testing.
Researchers then tested the extract against eight different types of colorectal cancer cells in laboratory tests, with impressive results.
They found the solution helped to slow the growth of cancer cells and stop the spread of certain proteins completely.
Commenting on the findings lead author, Dr Lara Bou Malhab, said: ‘Colorectal cancer is a common and serious illness, making it essential to find new and better treatments.
‘[Wormwood] could be a promising natural ingredient for new cancer treatments based on our findings.’
Dr Bou Malhab and her team say that further investigation is warranted to better understand the wormwood plant’s cancer-fighting properties.
Currently, people with colon cancers that have not spread to have not spread to other parts of the body usually have surgery as the main or first treatment.
Chemotherapy may also be used after surgery, with these treatment plans lasting around three to six months.
In 2024, the American Cancer Society reported more than 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer and around 53,000 deaths in the US.
This makes this disease the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the country.
While colorectal cancer rates among older adults has dropped steadily since its peak in 1985, so-called ‘early-onset’ colorectal cancer – affecting younger people – is on the rise.
The new blood test looked at 40,000 people between 45 to 85 years old, examined at 200 sites across the US.
Even though rates are rising in young people, those over 50 are still at higher risk.
The American Cancer Society recommends that adults get a colonoscopy every 10 years, starting at age 45 and continuing through age 75.
Participants in the study had their blood drawn before undergoing a standard colonoscopy.
Researchers compared the results to see how well the blood tests stacked up against the colonoscopies – discovering it confirmed cancer in 81 percent of the cases detected by the colonoscopy.
Dr Shaukat and her team say the blood test could be a ‘convenient’ and ‘effective’ detection method for colon cancer.
While the test would not be intended to replace colonoscopies – the gold standard for screening – doctors believe it could help combat the surge in colorectal cancer cases across the US, particularly in young people.
Roughly one in four colorectal cancers are detected at stages three or four, and less than 20 percent of patients with stage four disease will survive after five years, according to the NCI.
Wormwood could be a promising ingredient for new cancer treatments, researchers say
The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 53,000 people will die from colon cancer this year, and that number has surged especially in Americans under 50.
Scientists are still figuring out what exactly is behind the increase, but recent research suggests that diets high in red meat, processed foods, and sugar could be to blame.
And researchers at the University of Florida are recruiting young patients to determine if energy drinks containing taurine could also fuel colorectal cancer.
Unlike colonoscopies – which can take several hours – the new blood tests are quick and easy to carry out.
For a colonoscopy, patients must also undergo unpleasant bowel preparation and then be anesthetized during the procedure, but a blood test is noninvasive and only takes minutes.
They are intended as a screening test for individuals at average risk for the disease, age 45 or older, and not for individuals at high risk for colorectal cancer.
