March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Screening and early detection are the biggest allies against colon cancer and many testing options now exist. While a colonoscopy is still the standard screening test, Cologuard® can be an alternative at-home option.
Cologuard® is a prescription-based noninvasive colon cancer screening test available for adults ages 50 and older who are at average risk for colon cancer. The test requires no special preparation and can be completed at any time.
This test done in the privacy of your own home has four simple steps:
- Receive the Cologuard® kit shipped directly to your home
- Collect a single stool sample using the kit
- Use the provided label and packaging to mail back the sample to Exact Sciences Labs
- Wait to hear from your physician, who will receive stool sample test results from Exact Sciences Labs
Cologuard® uses advanced stool DNA technology to detect altered DNA levels in any abnormal colon lining cells shed during a bowel movement. These cells and levels could be associated with cancer.
Remember, Cologuard® is not meant to replace a colonoscopy. In fact, if a patient’s Cologuard® test results are positive for abnormal cells, the next step is to have a colonoscopy to look for indications of cancer.
Talk to a gastroenterology at Comprehensive Digestive Care to see if the Cologuard® at home test can be a first step in cancer prevention.
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