Written by Amanda Smart, Executive Director of the Colon Cancer Prevention Project
Kentucky has long carried one of the highest burdens of colorectal cancer in the nation. For too many families, it is a diagnosis that comes too late and with too few effective treatment options. But at the Colon Cancer Prevention Project, we know how to fight back.
Since 2003, we’ve led the fight against colorectal cancer, helping to increase access to screening and decrease deaths across the Commonwealth. We’ve made remarkable progress, and this year passed House Bill 421 that waives copays for colonoscopy prep and reduces barriers for high-risk screening, but our fight is far from over.
By 2030, colorectal cancer is projected to become the leading cancer killer of those under 50, and people born after 1990 are four times more likely to develop it than previous generations. That means now is the time to educate Kentuckians earlier on family history and symptoms and continue educating average risk individuals to get screened at 45.
The good news is that colorectal cancer is preventable when detected early. If caught early, there is a 91 percent five-year survival rate. That’s why screening– early and often– is the single most powerful tool we have to save lives from cancer.
But too many people are not getting tested. One in three eligible Americans, roughly 50 million Americans, do not complete the recommended screenings. That’s often because they lack access or resources, or because they perceive colonoscopies and stool-based tests to be unpleasant or inconvenient. This is unfortunate because early detection can mean the difference between life and death.
The problem is not that we lack effective tools. It’s that we must ensure people are aware of them and actually use them. At the Project, we support every safe, effective and proven option that helps get more people screened for colon cancer.
The most effective colorectal cancer screenings are those that detect and lead to the removal of large colon polyps—the precancerous lesions that precede colorectal cancers. Colonoscopy and stool DNA testing excel in finding colon polyps and cancers, prioritizing prevention on top of early detection.
New blood-based screening tests, such as Shield by Guardant Health, can identify existing cancers and help reach individuals who postpone colon cancer screening. This technology platform also drives multi-cancer early detection (MCED), where a single blood test can screen for multiple cancers simultaneously.
The bottom line is that blood-based colon cancer screenings are another tool in our toolbox that can reach patients who otherwise might never get screened. The availability of a simple blood test could be the difference between catching cancer early or a late-stage diagnosis.
This innovation is incredibly important to Kentucky. Thousands of Kentuckians go unscreened. Seniors and those in rural areas face additional barriers, such as lack of transportation, distance to specialty care, and financial challenges. A non-invasive blood-based test, which can be offered in primary care offices or pharmacies and is covered by Medicare, has the potential to make screening more accessible.
At the Colon Cancer Prevention Project, we believe no one should die from a disease that is preventable. Screening is the most effective tool we have, and every additional option makes an impact. The best test is the one that gets done.
We’ve already proven that Kentucky leads the nation in tackling colorectal cancer. Now it’s time to embrace blood-based tests to complement existing screening methods, so we can ensure a world where no one receives a “late-stage colorectal cancer” diagnosis again.
Let’s put all the tools in our toolbox to work against preventing this disease and kick colon cancer’s butt once and for all. If Kentucky employed every tool in its screening toolbox, we could prevent 68% of deaths from colorectal cancer.
