Noninvasive stool test for colorectal cancer unaffected by variables

Research on an investigational DNA methylation test for colorectal cancer demonstrated that the only clinical variable that influenced test results was age, according to findings presented by researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, USA, at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012, held from March 31 – April 4. The group at the Mayo Clinic, in collaboration with Exact Sciences, developed the multimarker molecular stool test, which is highly sensitive to the critical cancer screening targets of early-stage cancers and precancerous adenomas. The researchers examined common patient variables, including age, gender, race, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, body mass and medication use in 500 patients undergoing screening colonoscopy or polyp follow-up. Patients had a normal colonoscopy in the last three years.With the exception of age, none of the variables influenced test results, nor did family history of colorectal cancer or polyps or personal history of polyps. Researchers have now selected the two markers least affected by age for further test development and validation based on these study results to try and minimise false positives and avoid unnecessary colonoscopies.

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