(NAPSA)—Did you know that colon cancer is the third most common cancer among men and women in America? The disease— the most deadly form of cancer among non-smoking men and women—will result in more than 57,000 deaths in 2008. Fortunately, over the last few years, public figures like Katie Couric, Sharon Osbourne, Dennis Franz and President Bush have helped raise the profile of colon cancer and the importance of regular screening for the disease. This is important because colorectal cancer is a highly curable disease if detected early. Despite the increased awareness, however, people that are at risk for the disease aren’t necessarily being screened. This is due to both the inaccuracy and/or invasiveness of some screening methods. As a result, more than two-thirds of colorectal cancer cases are caught at a later stage, when the survival rate is less than 50 percent. In essence, you might say that people are dying of embarrassment. Fortunately, advances in screening technology hold promise in revolutionizing the way peoplefeel about colon cancer screening. A new non-invasive and accurate screening test from EXACT Sciences, called PreGen-Plus”, is a DNA-based test that requires patients to submit only a stool sample for analysis. Patients can collect the stool sample at home and forward their sample to a laboratory for analysis using pre-addressed, pre-paid packaging. The results will be shared with the patient’s doctor who prescribed thetest. EXACT Sciences believes that by removing some of the common barriers associated with current screening methods, more people A newtest for colon cancer that identifies mutations in DNA could remove the obstacles keeping Americans from getting the screening they need. will get screened for colorectal cancer and fewer people will die from the disease. PreGen-Plus provides a more sensitive, noninvasive screening option. The test works by identifying human DNAthat is shed into stool and analyzing that DNA for mutations associated with colorectal cancer. In studies to date, PreGen-Plus has demonstrated a sensitivity of approximately 65-70 percent— about twice as sensitive as fecal occult blood testing and approximately 1.5 times more sensitive than flexible sigmoidoscopy. PreGen-Pluswill soon provide a more agreeable option for those who balk at the idea of screening. In the meantime, remember the best defense against colon canceris screening and early detection. It’s never too soon to ask your doctor about colon cancer screening, the latest advances in diagnostic tools, and about which test might be best for you. To learn more about PreGenPlus, please visit www.exact sciences.com.
