FDA-approved colon cancer blood test now available across Georgia amidst rising cancer rates
ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Colorectal cancer is the second-deadliest form of cancer in Georgia, with an estimated 4,940 new cases and 1,660 deaths projected in 2024 alone. But doctors say a new blood test could be a game-changer in early detection and survival.
For Elizabeth Sokolowski, the toll is personal. Sitting in her Brookhaven home, she looks over a photo of her late husband, Kris, known as “Iron Man” for his peak physical condition. A sudden gurgling in his stomach sent him to the doctor. A CT scan revealed stage 4 colon cancer that had already spread.
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“We had to say, ‘your dad has cancer,’ and you know, we’re going to fight hard,” Sokolowski said. “The rest of our life was going to be the three of us, and we don’t get to choose what happens. I just really want others not to have to go through this.”
Kris wasn’t old enough at the time for a doctor-recommended colonoscopy. He spent the final year of his life urging others to get screened.
Now, a new tool offers another option: a blood test called Shield, recently made available in Georgia. The test identifies DNA fragments shed by cancer cells and large polyps, providing a less invasive method of early detection.
Dr. Jayne Morgan with Hello Heart called the development “revolutionary,” but should not be relied on for early detection.
“It is another tool in the toolbox,” Morgan said. “But still, colonoscopy is the gold standard for cancer screenings.”
Millions of Americans avoid traditional screenings like colonoscopies due to fear, discomfort, or inconvenience. Shield could help bridge that gap.
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It is FDA-approved, but the American Cancer Society (ACS) has not yet included it in its official screening guidelines.
The test is currently covered by Medicare and V.A. Community Care, and is recommended for adults ages 45 to 85 at moderate risk.
Sokolowski believes Shield could have changed her family’s fate.
“If the test had been around years earlier, my whole life would look different,” she said.
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