A leading precision oncology company, today announced the results of a new national survey conducted on its behalf by The Harris Poll with findings demonstrating that more than 9 out of 10 Americans ages 45 and over believe in ensuring broader coverage for blood-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, including new innovations like Shield™ by Guardant, a methylation partitioning cell-free DNA test and the first and only FDA-approved blood test for primary colorectal cancer screening.
The survey showed an overwhelming majority of Americans of screening-eligible age (92%) believe that blood-based colorectal cancer screening should be covered with no co-pay similar to Medicare Part B and VA Community Care coverage. National CRC screening guidelines from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) were last updated in 2021 lowering the recommended screening age from 50 to 45 for average risk individuals, but have yet to be updated to include a new innovative screening option approved by the FDA in 2024.
Poll findings also highlighted the likely barriers to colorectal cancer screening, including colonoscopies and stool-based tests, as millions of Americans ages 45 and over remain unscreened.
- A majority (71%) have felt/would feel anxious before having a colonoscopy
- Over three-quarters of screening-eligible Americans (77%) said they would be less likely to avoid or delay a colorectal cancer screening knowing that there is an FDA-approved blood test option available
- 85% of screening-eligible Americans said they would be more likely to get a colonoscopy if they had a positive result on a blood-based colorectal cancer screening test first
- Over half (54%) say stool-based tests “gross them out,” and nearly two in five (38%) say they would have a hard time completing one
“This year’s survey conducted by The Harris Poll gives insight into the barriers that drive millions of Americans to avoid their recommended colorectal screening and the overwhelming support in expanding access to the latest innovation in colorectal cancer screening to close our nation’s screening gap,” said Dr. Craig Eagle, M.D. Guardant Health chief medical officer. “Preventive care should be accessible to everyone. Guardant’s Shield blood test is a critical avenue in getting more patients screened by providing a quick, easy option to screen for colorectal cancer with just a blood draw, helping to detect cancer early, when it’s more treatable.”
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