CLEVELAND In a first-of-its-kind clinical trial, physician-scientists at University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center's Seidman Cancer Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine are studying a promising new non-invasive technology for colon cancer screening. The five-year study is recruiting patients to compare the effectiveness of stool DNA (sDNA) testing with colonoscopy for detecting large colon polyps.
SDNA is a novel test that detects colon cancer in its earliest stages, based on analysis of stool DNA. Developed in the laboratory of Sanford Markowitz, MD, PhD, oncologist with the UH Seidman Cancer Center and Professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, sDNA is a recommended screening by the American Cancer Society.
"Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States but is a preventable disease," says Gregory Cooper, MD, Co-Program Leader for Cancer Prevention at UH Seidman Cancer Center and Professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. "Early detection through screening can prevent the development of colon cancer. This promising new test has the potential to improve colon cancer screening rates and decrease mortality from this deadly disease."
Colonoscopy is considered the gold standard for screening because of its ability to not only locate but remove precancerous polyps. All adults over age 50 should undergo colonoscopy, with certain risk factors for screening at an earlier age. However, according to research conducted by Dr. Cooper, many adults do not follow these national guidelines.
"Colonoscopy is truly the best test but it has its limitations and is vastly underutilized by the public," says Dr. Cooper, who is clinical Primary Investigator for the study. "SDNA technology is a completely non-invasive approach and a complement to colonoscopy. It is emerging as a promising alternative for patients who do not want to undergo c
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| Contact: Alicia Reale alicia.reale@uhhospitals.org University Hospitals Case Medical Center Source:Eurekalert |
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